//------------------------------//
// The Best Laid Plans 
// Story: A Passing Through Kamen Rider: Movie Max the First: Sunset Over Zero 
// by thunderclap 
//------------------------------//

Twilight stepped out of the library, blending into the crowd of teens milling about. Wyatt had suggested that they leave the library separately to avoid drawing attention to themselves. She had been the one to suggest she leave last, even if she did want to keep a close eye on Wyatt. He seemed… off. Aggressive even.

Shaking her head, she chased those thoughts away. She popped her joints, ridding herself of the stiffness that came with sleeping on books. Her focus returned to what she had studied the night before. A lot of it had been the basic history of the mirror world. But Spike had uncovered something interesting in the year books. A couple years back, the mirror versions of her friends had been close just like the ones she knew back home. But the next year, they were all separated. Was this something Sunset had done?

“I bet it was...” she muttered to herself, her eyes cast downward. “But why? What would she have gained from that?”

Perhaps Sunset just did it for entertainment? Twilight quickly disregarded that. The redheaded menace didn't seem like the type to do something for such a petty reason. She was methodical.

After a long train of thought, nothing came to her. If she wanted to make any progress, then she'd need to get to the other versions of her friends to get more of the picture. Movement caught her eye, making her step back. An orange skinned boy had almost bumped into her. 

“Sorry about that,” she said, rather embarrassed. “I wasn’t paying attention.”

The orange boy flashed her a grin back, running a hand through his spiky blue hair. "It's all good. No damage was done. You're one of the new girls, right?"

“Yup, that’s me! I’m Twilight Sparkle,” she replied, holding her hand out.

The boy took her hand, giving it a shake. "Flash Sentry. Maybe I'll see you around, Twilight."

Twilight watched him go before resuming her walk. "He seemed nice," she said to herself, not giving the teen another thought. Where would her ‘friends’ be? She’d only seen two of them… 

Given her experience with Pinkie Pie, the party m-girl would be more likely to find her rather than the other way around. Rarity would likely be the easiest to find, guessing she'd be near sewing or art equipment.

 She stopped a student, asking about an art room. With a destination in mind, she made her way through the throng of students. “Hello?” Opening the door, she peeked her head in.

Before Twilight could even get a real look into the room, an alabaster hand grabbed her and pulled her inside. The door slammed shut and the lights were flipped on, blinding Twilight. She covered her eyes, sucking air in through her teeth. 

"Quick, get inside!" A familiar frantic voice demanded, leading her further into the room. "No one saw you, did they?!"

"Uh what?" Twilight questioned, finally able to see once more. She was being led towards a clothing rack by a purple haired girl she assumed was Rarity. "Why would I care if people saw me?"

Rarity ignored her question, pulling clothes off the rack and forcing the purple girl into a new outfit. “Oh my, this goes really with that purple strip in your hair.”

"I'm glad the outfit works, but you didn't answer my question. And can I please have my clothes back?”

"Don't worry, I'll give you your adorable outfit back," Rarity assured, looking through some accessories. "But for right now we can't afford to let people recognize you. Not with that video going around."

Twilight raised her eyebrow. “Firstly, only my boyfriend is allowed to undress me. Secondly, what video?”

Slinging a dark blue purse over Twilight's shoulder, pieces of it glittering like the night sky. She gasped, reaching for her phone. "The one that's been circulating around the school." Tapping at the screen, she held it up. “It doesn’t look good on you.”

Twilight winced, all of her gaffs from the day before playing back for her to see. The dramatic music, voice over and text certainly didn't help matters. Groaning, she pulled the hat Rarity had given her over her eyes.

“Right. Well, I don’t really care what Sunset makes up about me.” Taking the hat off, she placed it on Rarity’s head. “I don’t have time for foa-er, childish name calling.”

"Oh, I have no doubt Sunset's sticky fingers are all over this," Rarity agreed, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "What with you putting your name in the running for Fall Formal." 

The door suddenly swung open, Applejack stepping inside. "There you are, Twilight. Ah’ve been lookin’ everywhere for ya. Have ya seen that darn video?”

"So much for the disguise," Rarity deadpanned, shifting her weight to cock her hip out. "And I just showed it to her." 

“I really don’t care about the video,” Twilight said, grabbing her clothes from Rarity. “Now, I’m going to get changed and I want you two to tell me more about Sunset.” Moving behind a small divider, Twilight tossed away Rarity’s disguise. “Starting, now.”

"There ain't much t'tell," Applejack started, turning on a heel to give Twilight some added privacy. "She showed up towards the end o' middle school. At first she seemed sweet, became every teacher's favorite and topped every test score."

"Then high school came along," Rarity chimed in, tossing the hat she was wearing onto the rack. "And she did a complete one-eighty. Suddenly she treated everyone like garbage took control of the social hierarchy."

Twilight frowned, recalling what Wyatt had told her about human school systems. Time did flow strangely here, but why would it have turned Sunset into a child? “Are you two friends?” she asked, setting the mystery aside for now.

Rarity and Applejack exchanged a look, taken aback by the question. They mulled it over for a few moments. 

"Ah mean, we were for a while," Applejack answered, shrugging. "But then we and our group drifted a part the end of freshman year."

Stepping back into view, Twilight hummed. “Did you drift a part or were you broken apart?”

"Part of it was Rainbow Dash not keeping her promise to Applejack," Rarity offered, her brow knit in thought.

Applejack all but spit her words out. “That no good lyn’ muscle head made me look like a fool! You know how many apples we wasted ‘cause o’ that prank!? Worse still, she made a liar outta me!”

Twilight took in a breath, reminding herself that she was dealing with hormonal teenagers. Brains were still developing. “Okay.” Letting it out, she spoke. “Did you actually sit down and talk to her, or did you just start shouting at her?”

Applejack calmed down a bit, crossing her arms over her chest. "Ah mighta just stopped talkin' t'her altogther."

“Right. So, I’m going to make a suggestion based on some rather limited evidence. Maybe, just maybe, your friend group was sabotaged by Sunset.”

"That's certainly a nice theory, darling, but there's no evidence that Sunset had anything to do with this," Rarity retorted, giving Twilight an incredulous look.

Walking past them, Twilight smiled to herself. “Well then, we’re just going to have to gather up the rest of your former friends and see what they have to say.” Turning back, she held up a finger. “Think about it. If it gets out that she did break you up and I can bring you back together, it might just give the rest of the students the confidence to stand up for themselves.”

"Well, Ah'm not opposed t'any plan that knocks Sunset off her high horse," Applejack stated with a grin. "Even if it means swallowin' my pride and bury the hatchet with Dash."

A soft smile crept onto Twilight's face. She already had two people on her side. "Great, now we just need to get the other three on board with us. Would either of you happen to know where to find Pinkie Pie?"





In his short time here, Spike had learned one crucial lesson. Public schooling was not for him. All the walking and book carrying. The crowded hallways. Ugh. He hated it. 

How had Wyatt done it for twelve years of his life? No wonder the human had shown no real penchant for learning. Just two days in and he was ready to tear his newfound hair out. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his class schedule to see what was in store for him.

"History, great," he muttered to himself, splitting his attention between his surroundings and the text. "Maybe I can at least get a nap in.” Closing the book, he leaned back in his seat. 

He’d take Twilight’s ramblings over this any day. Yawning, he did a quick check to see if it was safe to close his eyes. Feeling that it was, he let his eyes drift.

"Mr. Sparkle!" A sharp voice barked, causing the young man to shoot up in his seat. "Would you care to tell the class the name of the president who spearheaded the industrial revolution?"

Sighing, he looked anywhere other than the teacher. “Wasn’t it... uh... Franklin Pierce?”

The teacher shook her head, turning to the board and writing down a name. "No, the correct answer is President Snow Piercer. But you were close."

“Right... Snow Piercer...” he muttered, sinking back in his seat. He grabbed his text book, pretending to read it to correct his mistake. “Guess it was dumb to think this place worked like Wy’s world,” he muttered to himself. He glanced up from the book seeing that the teacher’s focus was off him. He didn’t have time to enjoy it as he felt a tap on his shoulder. Looking back, he found a purple girl had been the one trying to get his attention. She had blue hair with white streaks styled with enough gel to make it a deadly weapon.

“Your book is upside down,” she said, pointing to it. “You might want to fix that.”

“Maybe I just wanted to try upside down studying,” Spike whispered back, quickly adjusting his book on his desk. “It’s like normal studying but on hard mode. But uh, thanks for reminding me,” he concluded with a weak grin.

The girl watched him, her expression resting somewhere between Maud and a rock. “You just guessed, didn’t you?”

Spike chuckled softly, rubbing the back of his head. "You got me. I guess my mind's just not really in the mood to focus on History today. I'm Spike by the way."

“Lily Moon,” came her chilly repy.

"Sweet name," the young man commented with a nod. "And I dig your m-hair."

She stared at him for a moment, lifting her book back up. Silence reigned, her only response being the turn of the page.

Taking the hint, Spike turned around again. 'Humans are weird,' he thought, staring out the window. ‘Maybe she’s just an introvert like Maud? Huh... I wonder if everyone's counterpart is the same in this world as they are back home...’

Spike's mind drifted, trying to picture the counterparts of his friends. Two versions of Thorax sprang to mind, one from before and after his big change. In place of antlers, he imagined two big pieces of hair sticking up. The image was so ridiculous, he couldn't help but snicker to himself.

Before Spike could pursue the train of thought further, something caught the corner of his eye. Looking out the window, followed what had been in his periphery. "Hey," he spoke quietly. "You see that?"

Sunset Shimmer stood out against the otherwise empty track field. Her stance was tense, arms crossed. She seemed to be in a rather animated conversation with someone hidden behind the bleachers.

Spike glared at the orange girl, trying to get a glimpse at her conversation partner through the cracks in the stands. His hand shot up, an idea springing to him. "Ma'am, may I be excused to the bathroom?" 

“Yes, Mr. Sparkle. Do be sure to hurry back.”

Shooting out of his seat, Spike grabbed the hall pass from the teacher and made his way out the door. He continued until he was outside the school, planning a route to sneak up on Sunset. He wished that he had a power like Wyatt or Daring to turn invisible.

He just had to stay hidden was all. Move quickly and stay out of sight. That wouldn’t be hard. He prayed to whatever was listening that Sunset was still talking with whoever that was. Clinging to the wall, Spike carefully made his way to the track field. 

After a few minutes, Sunset was in sight. Her back was to him, but whoever was in the bleachers would likely be facing him. Narrowing his eyes, he examined the space between the bleachers. If he moved carefully enough, he just might be able to stay within the blind spot of the stands. 

With a battleplan in mind, he made his way across the field. He crept along the open field, trying not to make any noise. It was slow going, but with every step Sunset grew bigger and more clear within his view. He could even start to hear her voice, though the words were unintelligible.

‘Just a bit closer,’ he thought to himself. ‘This had better not have been for nothing.’ If it was just Sunset talking to a teacher, he was going to be very annoyed. Creeping in closer, he took up a position on the bleachers and listened in. 

“-et rid of them!” Sunset hissed through her teeth.

“And why should I?” a mysterious voice questioned, unmoved by her outburst. “You had one task, get the crown and get out unseen. And yet you failed even something so simple.”

Sunset scoffed. “You were too damn scared to set foot through that mirror. Don’t project your shortcomings onto me.”

"Quite the thing to say to someone you're begging to help you," the other voice snapped. "I can find another to give that crown to."

“Hey! You came to me. I get the feeling there isn’t anyone.”

"You were convenient while the crown was in Equestria," the voice dismissed. "But now that it's here, anyone will do. If they're willing to cooperate." 

Venom dripped into Sunset’s voice. “And I’m the only one who could control it. You keep them off my back and we’ll both get what we want.”

Smirking to himself, Spike made himself smaller on the bleachers. His hand grabbed his belt, slotting in the yellow medals quietly on the off chance he was caught. He had a feeling he knew who Sunset's mysterious benefactor was associated with.

“Deal. With. Them,” Sunset insisted before storming back towards the school building.

Spike heard a huff from within the bleachers, and the telltale sound of a dimensional rift opening. Once he was sure the coast was clear, he emerged from his hiding spot and strolled back towards the building. He was sure the others would be ecstatic to hear what he had discovered.





Daring sat in a classroom, bored out of her skull. Was this what she was missing out on when her dad was teaching her? She was sitting in an English class, tuning out the teacher as she went on about adverbs or something. She was half tempted to throw out Twilight's plan and take the crown like Wyatt had suggested.

This was one story that would never see the quill. Sure, some fans would just consume anything but she still needed to have standards. Who wanted to read about their heroine dicking around a school room?

Maybe she could embellish it a little? Add something about a cult to spice it up. She tossed the thought aside, not wanting to risk shark jumping comments from her critics. Absentmindedly, she began to draw one of the artifacts she had obtained on a previous adventure.

Ah, the Eternal Flower. One of her earliest and greatest adventures. She knew every petal and color by heart. How could she not? It had given her a prize greater than anything she could ask for. Her pencil paused, a thoughtful expression falling over her. 

Gallant True, whom she had met on the flowers's trail, had vehemently disagreed with her using the flower. She had not spoken to him since; which in her line of work wasn’t too out of the ordinary. That had been until she learned of their familial connection from Sire Hollow’s records. All those days together and they had no idea they were niece and uncle.

She brought the pencil to her lips, nibbling the eraser. It was a dreadful habit, one that had made her go through several packs of  pencils. Especially when she had chapters due. Maybe she needed to track Gallant down? Even if he still wanted to never speak to her, he deserved to know of their blood ties.

“That’s a pretty good drawing.”

Turning her head, she found a yellow boy with spiky blue hair glancing at her notes. She fought back a snarky comment, sure he had seen her act on her bad habit. "Thanks," she said instead, keeping a neutral tone. "It's something from my mom's books."

“Yeah? Your mom a writer?” he asked, peering a bit closer. 

Daring chuckled, moving the page so he could see it better. "She dabbles. Wrote a little series with the initials, D.D."

The boy stared at her, raising an eyebrow. “You're A.K Yearlings daughter? And you're transferring here?”

"Do you really think I'd fit in at one of those pompous prep schools full of spoiled brats?" Daring deadpanned, waving a hand over herself. "I'd either get locked in juvie or a mental ward by the end of the first week."

“Right...” he nodded slowly. “And you just want me to believe you?”

Daring shrugged, twirling her pencil between her fingers. “You can believe whatever you want. But do you want some proof? Something that only family would know?”

“Sure. Give me something good.”

"Alright." Daring tapped her chin with her pencil, trying to think of a tidbit that could translate over to this new world. "Mom was sick while she wrote the second book. She accidentally sent some pages that she'd sneezed on to the publisher. That's why one time Ahuizotl gets called Ahuizob."

Snorting, the boy shook his head. “Yeah right. That’s just a typo.”

"Why do you think the typo happened?" Daring retorted with a chuckle. "But okay, guess I need something else." Looking down in thought, she tried to dredge up another factoid. "Mom came from Sire Hollow."

He held a hand up. “You just keep throwing ideas at me. There’s no way to know if you're making any of that up or not.”

Daring chewed on the inside of her cheek, thinking over her options. She had photos of "A.K." but as a pony. Not something to go showing off. Shrugging, she slid her notebook back over. "Oh well, I don't really have anything else. So now you can think I'm lying or crazy, take your pick," she concluded with a cheeky grin.

“Yeah, yeah. You're kind of a bad liar. Unlike my ex.” He sighed, leaning back in his seat. “Goddess, that girl is a demon.”

"Oh?" Daring replied, reclining in her seat. "And who's that?"

“Sunset Shimmer,” he said, his voice tinged with melancholy. “We dated for a year and I still don’t know what’s true about her.”

Daring winced, recognizing that tone all too well. "I may or may not have had some bad breakups. Ya wanna air some shit out?"

“Not in the middle of class, no.”

Daring glanced forward, realizing the teacher was still talking. "Oh yeah, good point. Meet up at lunch?"

He shrugged. “Sure, if that’s what you wanna do, weirdo.”

"Who's weirder, the weirdo or the one who agrees to hang out with them?" She shot back with a wink. Satisfied with the eye roll she received for a reply, Daring returned to her absentminded doodling.

When the bell finally rang, Daring caught up with the boy and walked with him to the cafeteria. “Man, does the English teacher love the sound of her own voice or what?” she commented with a grin. “Did she even pause to breathe during that lesson?”

“Yeah, she does that.” The boy shrugged, getting in line. “What’s your name anyway? Or are you going to tell me it’s Daring Do?”

“That’s what it says on my transfer papers,” she told him with a wink. “What about you? I wanna call you something besides Blue Boy.”

Holding a finger up, he slid the other into his jacket. “First of all, I’m orange, not blue. And second, my name is Flash Sentry.”

“Your hair is blue, genius,” Daring shot back. “Or do you forget about things that you can’t currently see?”

Flash narrowed his eyes. “Are you always this much of a bitch?”

“I do try not to be,” Daring said with a shrug. “But being raised by an antisocial single parent has its downsides. So uh, sorry if that went too far.”

Paying for his lunch, Flash sat down at an unclaimed table. He eyed Daring wearily, tossing a fry into his mouth. “You remind me too much of Sunset.”

Daring winced, the comment stinging. “Ow, don’t like the sound of that. Even only hearing about her for a day I don’t like her.” Glancing at her tray, she picked up what looked like a burger. “Okay, so, spill. What kind of secrets does she have?”

Flash sighed, picking at his tray. "I'm not even sure what's real and what's just another of her lies." Taking a slow bite he added. "Although, there is a feeling I get from her. I don't think I've ever seen her really happy. Even when she's smirking like a sadistic bitch, the gesture feels empty."

“Right... but that’s not what I asked,” Daring pressed, taking a bite out of her burger. 

Scratching at his cheek, Flash nodded. “Right, right, a secret. If I had to guess something she didn’t want getting out it’s that even though we dated a year, I never heard her mention her parents. I never even saw signs of her parents whenever I dropped her off at her place.”

“That’s it? That’s all you got?” Daring groaning, pinching her nose. “Do you know how unhelpful that is?”

“I told you she keeps everything close to the vest,” Flash retorted, giving her a flat look. “But I might have something else. I’m  pretty sure she was watching  Mr. Knack’s Cul De Sac when I picked her up one day.”

Daring chewed on her burger, waiting for him to continue. When he didn't, she frowned. “And that is...? What? A movie or something?”

“It’s a kid’s show,” Flash answered, giving the olive girl a look of disbelief. “Only one of the most famous one’s ever. Aimed at really young kids though, like Pre-K.”

Shrugging, Daring took a sip of her drink. “Yeah, I didn’t grow up with t.v. Mom didn’t want one in the house so...” Well, at least she had a plausible excuse for missing out on pop culture. “It was all books, study, and physical training.”

“Sounds kinda strict,” Flash said with a frown. “My folks want me to do my studies too, but they let me watch t.v.”

“I didn’t miss anything,” Daring dismissed with a shrug. “I’m more of a doer anyway.” Great, all this talking and she found out jack all about Sunset. Besides that she watched some children’s thing. What the hell was she supposed to do with that information? “If that got out and were true, would that knock her down a peg or two?”

Flash whistled. “She’d never hear the end of it. She’d have been torn apart in middle school, but high school? She might as well drop out and change her name.”

Daring grinned, finishing her burger. “Well, Flash, would you care to become a school legend and see if we can’t show everyone that the queen bitch is going to lose her crown.”

He shook his head. “No. I’m not like her. I’m not going to make someone else the school’s punching bag.”

Daring’s smile waned, nodding. “You make a good point, Flash. If my friends and I wanna take her down, we’ll do it the honest way. No sense of stooping to her level.” 

Looking over at Flash, her grin returned a bit. The sense of morality he showed could only come from an idealistic kid. She could use more people like that around her. However, that didn't mean she was going to give up her tricks entirely. Just because she wouldn't resort to blackmail or expose Sunset's secret, that didn't mean she couldn't find use for it.





“And you call it ‘soccer’?” Twilight questioned, following Rarity out and onto the school’s sports field. Of course, this version of Dash wouldn’t be in stunt flying. But kicking a ball around? It seemed less... ambitious.

“Well, I prefer to call it Futbol like the rest of the world,” Rarity said, putting a hand to her chest. “But since that only causes confusion in most conversations, yes, it’s Soccer.” She concluded what was surely the start of a rant with a forced grin. A moment later, she regarded Twilight oddly. “Wait, have you never heard of Soccer before? Didn’t you go to Fenrir High before this? Their team are the state champions.”

Twilight shrugged. “I don’t follow sports. I’d rather read.”

“I bet you’d follow the Chess scene,” Pinkie interjected, popping up in front of the purple girl and walking backwards. “Though, I guess that all depends on if you’d call Chess a sport.” Face scrunched up in thought, Pinkie seemed to be laboring over the idea herself. “Still, even if you don’t follow sports, it’s really weird that you’ve never at least heard of Soccer, Twilight. It’s almost like you’re from another world or something.”

If the new arrival was expecting a strong reaction from Twilight, she would be disappointed. “Oh hey there, Pinkie. We were just looking for you.”

Rarity and Applejack blinked, sharing a look of disbelief. “Ah’ve never seen anyone stoneface Pinkie bein’ Pinkie like that,” the farm girl whispered to the fashionista.

“She certainly is a strange one,” Rarity whispered back, eyeing Twilight up and down. “But she does seem like a good person.”

“Why were you looking for me Twilight?” Pinkie asked, sidestepping another student without looking. She gasped, pulling out a journal labeled ‘Party Planning’. “Do you need help planning a party? I am the school’s famous party planner.”

Twilight put her hand on the book, lowering  it. “No, Pinkie. I need your help fixing a few friendships. We’re going to grab Rainbow Dash and then we’re finding Fluttershy.”

“Fluttershy?!” Pinkie screeched, coming to a halt. “Why would you need her?! Don’t let her innocent act fool you, she’s a snake.”

“Yes, Fluttershy,” Twilight confirmed, putting a gentle guiding hand on Pinkie’s shoulder. “We need to get all of this cleared up between you five.”

“Think of it this way, Pinkie,” Aj started, coming up to Pinkie. “If Ah can swallow my pride and have a talk with Dash, y’all can do the same.”

Pinkie eyed the group skeptically, settling on Applejack. "You're making up with Dashie? Why's that?"

AJ glanced at Twilight. “She’s got some mighty fine points, Pinkie. Sunset might’ve turned us all against each other.”

Blinking for a few moments, the pink girl's eyes lit up. "Oh my gosh! That makes so much sense! The five of us all had friends in so many different groups, we could've basically gotten the whole school on our side. With us split apart, the school divided into cliques and left Sunset able to secure the crown every year!"

Rarity gaped at Pinkie, staring stupidly at the pink girl. How was it that Pinkie had such brief flashes of insight? And yet, most of the time she seemed to have no idea what was going on around her.

Twilight beamed, grabbing Pinkie's hands. "That's brilliant! Now I know how we can beat Sunset! Thank you, Pinkie!" Elation spread over her, moving her legs for her. “Come on! To thefootball field!”

Pinkie giggled, easily keeping pace with Twilight. "I'm brilliant you guys!"

AJ tilted her hat, nudging Rarity in the side. “Come on, Rarity. Yer gonna catch flies with yer mouth open like that.”

Closing her mouth, Rarity laughed softly at herself. "Sorry, darling. I just forgot what spending time with Pinkie was like." Primping her hair, she took a moment to gather herself. “Do you know what you're going to say to Rainbow Dash?”

"Uh, mind helpin' me with that?" AJ requested, smiling sheepishly. "You were always better with words."

Putting a gentle hand on AJ’s shoulder, Rarity ushered the taller girl along. “Just follow my instructions, and you two will be butting egos just like the old days!” Words began to form in her head, even as they turned a corner.

AJ smiled, trying to repeat what the fashionista was telling her. She inevitably put it in her own words, but Rarity made no attempt to correct her. Her confidence wavered slightly, her boots walking onto the meticulously maintained soccer field. 

Up ahead, Twilight was already talking to Rainbow Dash. The blue girl regarded her boredly, obviously ready to ditch the conversation. 

"Wish me luck," Applejack said, taking a deep breath. "It's now or never Ah guess." Stepping forward, she stopped in front of the athlete. "Hey, Dash."

Dash’s body went rigid, her boredom melting into a deep glare. “What do you want, Apple Girl?” Her stance shifted, in preparation to what might become a fight. “I told you never to talk to me again.”

"What if Ah was here t'say sorry?" AJ said, removing her hat. "Ah know ya didn't mean t'bail on mah bake sale. Ya got a text ya thought was from me, right?"

“Yeah I did.” Dash’s eyes narrowed. “You gave me the wrong day! You made me look like an idiot in front of my team!”

AJ paused, having heard Dash say that before but only now was she paying it any mind. Fishing out her phone, she pulled up her texts with Dash. "Ah didn't send that and Ah can prove it, RD." She offered the phone to the blue girl.

Dash snatched the phone from AJ’s hand, moving to punt it in against the ground. She paused, noting the presence of the other. “Why are the rest of you here?”

"Because Twilight here made us realize that Sunset pitted us against one another," Rarity explained, coming up to join the conversation. "And because we missed how things used to be." 

Lowering her arm, Dash pondered the phone. Her eyes moved over the text, devouring its every word. Digging her own phone out, she quickly tapped away on it. “I-I don’t get it. How would she have screwed around with our phones like that?”

"Sunset's clever and motivated, she might've found a way," Twilight offered, crossing her arms over her chest. "If she didn't just threaten someone with tech skills to do it for her." This was going well. They were talking, working things out. Just a bit more of a push and they’d be right where they should be. But she couldn't be the one to give the push, it was up to the girls now.

"RD, Ah'm sorry. Ah called ya a liar. Ah should've cooled mah head and listened to ya. You were mah best friend, ya deserved that much." Placing her hat back on, AJ held her hand out. “Whaddya say, Dash? Friends?”

"No," Dash quickly said, shocking everyone. Before anyone could speak though, she took the hand and shook it. "More like besties!" Both phones dropped from her grasp as AJ swept her up in a bear hug.

Pinkie tumbled, rolling and catching the devices before they could make an unfortunate meeting with the ground. Bouncing up, she squealed. "Yay! They're hugging!" Throwing her arms her, she hauled Rarity and Twilight into a hug. “Woohoo!”

"Now we just need to find Fluttershy," Twilight said, relief washing over her. A deep smile stretched ear to ear, pride settling on her shoulders. And Wyatt said this would be hard. With the young man on her mind, she idly wondered how he was doing. He had to be having at least somewhat of an easy time since he had been from at least some form of human world.





Wyatt grumbled to himself, having to change into gym clothes. He had to debate with himself to ignore Twilight’s wishes and take the crown instead of this High School Musical bullshit. He was debating the implications of the act and what his marefriend would do to him if he went against her request. Sighing, he knew he wouldn’t be able to do that. Betraying Twilight’s trust was something he could never do.

He had to make someone pay. Wyatt had no idea who, but someone did. Who would make a portal that turns you into a teenager? What even was the point of that? It was probably that bearded guy Twilight was always on about. He wished the bearded wonder was still alive, if only to punch the wrinkly unicorn in the face. Adjusting his outfit, Wyatt stepped out into the gym proper. 

He stopped for a moment to think. If he wasn’t going to ruin Twilight’s plan, then how could he help it? He barely navigated high school the first time he went through it. Now he had to do it again, in technicolor. The uncanny valley didn’t help, especially when he could pick out who was supposed to be who from Ponyville. 

A whistle blew from the nearby coach, getting everyone’s attention. “Alright class, today we’re gonna be playing dodgeball. When I call your names, step onto this side of the gym,” he said, indicating one side of the court. “Everyone else, get on the other half. Standard rules: get hit by a ball, you’re out, catch an opponent’s ball and they’re out and you can bring a teammate in, and finally, if you deflect a throw with a ball but drop it, you’re out.”

Wyatt milled about with the students, picking out who he knew and who he didn’t. He had no idea who the guy with green dreadlocks was, but he easily recognized Thunderlane’s mohawk. If this version was like his pony counterpart, then he was a chill guy; surprisingly into cooking too.

“Mathews!” 

Of course he’d be picked first. Resigning himself to gym class, he took his place by the coach. At least he got to put some names to some face. There was that. He fought the urge to do the stretches Flash Fire taught him, not wanting to stand out more than he already did as the first name called. He also figured there might be some sort of target on his back as the new student. 

More names were rattled off, leaving Wyatt standing among a group of students. He was thankful Thunderlane was one of them. In his world, the pegasus was a Wonderbolt hopeful, so he hoped that translated into athleticism for the counterpart.

Bouncing on his heels, he kept his eye on the ball. The coach whistled again, tossing it to the other side. He almost felt bad for them. They’d never so much as graze him. He had trained for almost a full year, Flash Fire had honed his body and mind to his peak performance. The world around him slowed as he saw the first volley come in. Every detail on their textured surface was easily visible to him and he moved to weave and dodge. 

Only for reality to come crashing back to him. The mirror had taken his trained body and replaced it with the scrawny one of his time before Equestria. This became painfully obvious when an attempted dodge ended with the dodgeball hitting below the belt.

 He squeaked out in pain, a pitiful sound like helium escaping a balloon. This was soon followed by a few more balls pelting him in the face and chest, ensuring he went down to the ground. Oh, Sunset was going to pay for this. He was dimly aware of two people helping him off the court and sympathetic looks from the male students.

“You okay?” Thunderlane asked, helping Wyatt to take a sitting position on the bleachers. “That had to hurt.”

“My pride’s more hurt than anything,” Wyatt said with a sigh. “I’m just glad Twilight wasn’t here to see that.” He gladly accepted the ice offered by the coach. It’s cold touch only sharpened his dislike of this situation.

“Don’t feel too bad kid, I’ve seen way worse hits to the family jewels in my time at this school,” The coach offered, keeping an eye on the game. “Like when the climbing ropes used to have a big knot at the end of it. Imagine sliding down from the top of the rope right onto that.”

Wyatt cringed. “Yeah, that doesn’t sound great.”

Thunderlane gave Wyatt a pat on the back, joining the game again. The young man sat down, stewing over what he could do. He could only hope that Twilight was having an easier time, or that Daring hadn’t punched anyone in the face yet.

When some of his teammates started to sit on the benches, Wyatt sidled up to them. "Hey, how's it going?”

“I’m fine,” the dreadlocked teen from before said.

"Dig the dreads," Wyatt commented, keeping the small talk up for a bit longer. "How'd you get them to look so clean? A friend of mine tried that once and they wound up looking like dead leaves."

"Probably didn't squeeze the water out after showering, man," the dude said proudly, grabbing a lock. "I also use this earth friendly oil treatment. Keeps my natural body oils locked in and keeps it strong. Thanks for the compliment, some folks just don't pick up the vibes I put out. Name's Green Peace by the way."

Wyatt nodded his head. “I’ll pass on the message.” Shifting slightly, he glanced back at the game. “So, who are you voting for? For the Fall Formal, I mean.”

Sighing, Green scratched his scalp. "I wanna vote for that Twilight girl, she seems righteous. But, like everyone else, I'm voting for Sunset."

“Oh come on. Who would vote for a bitch like that?” Wyatt questioned, keeping his voice low. Did Sunset have blackmail material on everyone? Were they that passive? It was like watching Mean Girls.

"The kind of people who like their lives not ruined, man. Sunset threatened to call the IRS on the conservation group I volunteer at. An audit could ruin its rep. We just got Filthy Rich to follow stricter environmental protections at his stores, we can't get shut down now."

Well then. Extortion. Wyatt’s dislike of Sunset deepened, almost blossoming into hate. Twilight was out of her mind if she thought he was going to even attempt at talking down Sunset. Better to just toss her out onto her ass. But, a promise was a promise. Besides, she had gone along with his insane plans before, it was his turn to do the same.

“Just give it a few days. We’ll win your vote.” Holding a fist out, Wyatt smiled in comradery. 

Green snorted, accepting the fist bump. “You’re wild, dude. What’s with the ‘we’ though? You like Twilight’s cheerleader or something?”

“No. Just a supportive boyfriend.”

Smiling, Green nodded. “Dude, respect. Good luck with trying to help her win, man. You know, I know some dudes in the AV Club, they might be able to help you with making something to counter that vid Sunset posted. They owe me a favor since I gave their club President my mom’s killer gluten free menu for her Celiac Disease.”

Returning the smile, Wyatt nodded. “Yeah, that would be pretty good.”

“After class, I’ll text her. She’s a dark yellow girl with blue twintails  named Pixel Pizazz. Tell her Sandalwood sent you.”

“Sandalwood?” Wyatt questioned, quirking a brow. How the hell would someone named Pixel Pizazz even have a counterpart in Equestria? The mysteries of this strange parallel world were beginning to unravel his focus. Instead of going down the rabbithole, he simply thanked the young man.





Daring strode back into the library, a smirk resing on her features. Her mission had been simple, and all it had cost were a few ditched classes. Now all she had to do was wait for the fruits of her labor to bloom. She couldn’t wait for the others to show up, they’d get a kick out of this. Especially Wyatt and Spike. They knew a good prank when they saw one.

Taking a seat at a random table, Daring put her feet up. The others would be arriving soon, which meant she could relax. She had made sure that she was in a corner out of view of the librarian. Last thing she needed was some lady telling her how to sit properly. 

Spike was the first one to find her, grabbing a chair of his own. “Hey, D.D. Do anything interesting with your day?" Putting on a big grin, he kicked his own feet up. "I've got something juicy to share with the group."

“I had a good day, once I ditched all those classes.” Ah, this was going to be a fun meeting. “Hear anything from the others?”

Spike shook his head, sighing. "Nope, since I'm a Freshman, I haven't seen them all day. They should be here soon though. Twilight hates tardiness almost as much as she hates quesadillas." 

Daring quirked a brow but made no comment. Given all of Twilight's peculiarities, it was best just to let it go. After a few moments of silence, Twilight and Wyatt approached the table. Twilight had a massive grin, looking quite proud of herself.

“I did it!” Twilight stated, pulling a chair over. “I found out that Sunset broke up the friendships of our friends’ human counterparts! Luckily, I was able to get them to see how they had been manipulated.”

"Very nice, Twi," Wyatt praised, taking a seat next to her. "I found a way for us to put together a video to counter the one Sunset put out. Maybe we can put them in it?" 

Spike cut in, words already pouring from his lips. “Sunset’s working with Dai-Shocker!”

Everyone froze up, turning their attention to the former drake. "I think the floor is Spike's," Daring offered. "Proceed." 

Spike nodded, continuing his story. He spared no detail of what he had overheard and the suspected opening of a distortion like Dai-Shocker used. “She’s totally in league with those guys! That must be how she knew about Twi’s crown!”

“And you said this mystery member is coming after us,” Wyatt pointed out, his brow furrowed. “We’ll have to keep an eye out. They’ll be able to strike from anywhere at any time.” 

Daring clicked her tongue, balancing her chair on its back two legs. “Okay, so, we have a queen bitch teaming up with guys who rule worlds. Anyone else see a discrepancy there?”

Wyatt nodded, his mind trying to put everything together. “Yeah, doesn’t seem like something they’d resort to. Maybe this is a lone agent? Or someone who was kicked out?” It had to be one of those last two. Who would waste their time with a nobody like Sunset?

“Without any evidence, that’s something we’ll have to table for now,” Twilight stated, looking among the group. “Now, Daring and Spike, you keep an eye out for the Dai-Shocker member; Wyatt and I will focus on my effort to get the crown back.”

Pushing away from the table, Wyatt's thoughts became steel. “Why don’t we just force their hand then? Take the crown back and head back to the portal.” 

“Because we still need Sunset to see there’s a better path, Wyatt,” Twilight interjected. “That won’t change even with a rogue Dai-Shocker member.”

“Screw that!” Wyatt growled, punching the door frame. “She’s literally black mailing non-profit organizations. You know, people trying to better the world. She can rot in hell.” Stepping out of the room, he wallowed in those roiling emotions.

“Wyatt!” Twilight called out, following after him. “Please come back here!” Snatching his wrist, she tugged backwards. “What is wrong with you!?”

“I’m perfectly fine,” Wyatt replied, gently freeing his wrist but making no attempt to move. “Why are you so insistent on helping Sunset? Isn’t it possible that there’s someone that even the magic of friendship can’t undo their innate bitchiness?”

Moving to stand in front of him, Twilight crossed her arms. “I haven’t seen anything that tells me she’s beyond reach,” Twilight rebuked. “You’ve been acting like a jerk since we got here. What’s bothering you?”

“I said I’m fine,” Wyatt repeated, looking away from her. “I just want to get your crown back.”

“No you aren’t.” Stepping closer, she cupped his chin. “Wyatt, I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what’s wrong.”

Taking a deep breath, Wyatt sighed and let a hand rest on her side. “I shouldn’t date a princess, they always get what they want. I just, I’m frustrated with myself Twi.”

Placing a hand on his arm, she guided him to an empty classroom. “Okay, that’s a start,” she breathed out. Taking a seat on the teacher’s desk, she patted the space next to her. “Why don’t you tell me about it?”

“I just constantly get my ass handed to me. Every other fight seems to be me getting ragdolled around like a paper plane in a tornado.” Wyatt let out a downpour of words sitting next to her. “Shit, I couldn’t even stop a simple thief and keep us out of this mess. Oh and to top it all off, Dai-Shocker messed with my DNA! For God knows what reason except that Somber’s got some mystery plan for me. Which is just so much fun to have on my mind! A megalomaniac has some plan about me and all I know is it involves me going Violent Emotion." Wyatt was only stopped when he felt arms wrap around his chest.

Twilight shushed him softly, placing her head on his shoulder. “You're only looking at the bad, Wyatt. Weren’t you the one who drove Somber off during the wedding? Repelled Drakkon? Didn’t you defeat King and that Psycho Green creature you were talking about?”

“Drakkon basically just got bored after kicking my ass, Somber got scared off by the Elements,” Wyatt retorted, leaning against her. “And I had help with Psycho Green.”

“But you still stood against them,” Twilight dressed, stroking his back. “You stood tall and didn’t let them break you. No matter how many times they knock you down, you get right back up.”

“Ain’t nothing gonna keep me down,” Wyatt added, finishing the song lyric for her. Taking a deep breath, he squeezed her hand. “Thanks. You always seem to be able to remind me just how much of an idiot I can be.”

Giggling, Twilight stole a kiss. “I wouldn’t say you're an idiot. You just get caught up in your doubts. I’ve been there, believe me.” Snuggling close, she closed her eyes. “I’m not going to give up on Sunset.”

“Okay, I’ll follow you on this one.” Wyatt stayed quiet for a moment, simply content to be next to her. “You know, you’re a little less cozy to snuggle up to without your fur,” he noted,  stroking her hand with his thumb.

“Tell me about it. I feel a lot less warm with just skin.”

“Then reform Sunset quick, I want my kirincorn princess back,”  Wyatt teased, nudging her side. He nuzzled her neck, sighing. “I miss her nice, cuddly mane.”

Twilight giggled, batting at his side with a fist. “Stop it, that’s so embarrassing!” The two stayed like that for a time, eventually settling down into a calm embrace with the only sound in the room being that of their breathing.