The next day, Lightning appears from behind a statue as Rainbow arrives with a laptop and a webcam.
"So, my watch is 7:45 Eastern Standard time." Lightning said. "Are we synched?"
"Yeah, good to go." Rainbow agreed.
"Okay, at 12:05, we're on a go mode for lunch period." Lightning said.
"Yes, Lightning." Rainbow said. "But one more thing, we're not Cherrie's Angels, all right?" She gives Lightning the equipment.
Lightning smiles at her. "I can dream, can't I?" He said.
Rainbow chuckles. "Maybe you can." She said.
"Let's hope this works." Lightning said.
The students head to their classrooms. Harrison is looking around the male ponies' locker room, struggling to find his teammates. He goes a bit further and finds them all gathered around a table filled with pictures and trophies. Duramy uses his magical horn on a photo and trophy.
"'Summer' Butter Netrine, class of 1986. He was the most valuable player in the league championship game." Duramy said.
"Sun Nedler, class of 2016. Also known as 'Sunny Slamma Jamma'." Wheelburn said, and the Wildponies giggle. "Both captain and MVP of the league championship team."
"'The Thunderclap'." Metalscar said, and the team claps, except Harrison. "Happy Hadden, class of 2009. Led the Wildponies to back-to-back city championships. A legend."
"Yes, legends, one and all." Lightning said. "But do you think that any of these Wildpony legends became legends, by getting involved in musical auditions, just days before the league championships?"
"Get'cha head in the game!" The Wildponies said.
"No. These Wildpony legends became legends, because they never took their eye off the prize." Eddie said.
"Get'cha head in the game!" The Wildponies said again.
"Now, who was the first sophomore ever to make starting varsity?" Eddie asked the team.
"Harrison Sparrow!" The Wildponies said.
"So who voted him our team captain this year?" Metalscar asked the team.
"We did!" The Wildponies said.
"And who's going to get their little butts kicked at Friday's championship game, if Harrison's really worried about an audition?" Lightning asked the team.
"We are." The Wildponies said disappointingly.
"Guys, what are you doing?" Harrison asked. "I mean, come on, there's twelve ponies on this team, not just me!"
"Just twelve?" Wheelburn said. "Oh no, Buttercup. I think you're forgettin' about one very important thirteenth member of our squad."
Duramy uses his horn on a picture of James, and gives it to Harrison.
"My dad?" Harrison said.
"Yes, Harrison." Duramy said. "Wildpony basketball champion, class of 1995. Champion, father, and now coach. It's a winning tradition like no other."
"Guys, if you don't know that I'll put 110% of my guts into that game, then you don't know me." Harrison said.
"But we just thought..." Lightning said.
"Lightning, Eddie, Wheelburn, Metalscar, Duramy, I'll tell you what I thought." Harrison said. "I thought that you're my friends. We win together, we lose together, teammates. Best friends forever."
"But suddenly..." Lightning said.
A Wildpony brings the laptop up with the webcam attached.
"Princess Twilight Sparkle." Eddie said.
"And the singin'." Wheelburn said.
"Man, I'm for the team! I've always been for the team!" Harrison said. "She's just someone I met on New Year's Eve." The team is still staring at him. He scoffs and gives in. "All right, the singing thing is nothing! Probably just a way to keep my nerves down. I have no idea, but it means nothing to me! You're my guys and this is our team! Twilight and the callbacks are not important! I'll forget about her, I'll forget about the audition, and we'll go out and get that championship this Friday! Everyone happy now?!"
"There's my best friend!" Lightning said.
"WILDPONIES!" Duramy said.
"GET'CHA HEAD IN THE GAME!!" The Wildponies said.
The team runs out of the room, cheering.
"YEE-HAW!!!!" Wheelburn said.
"LET'S ROCK!!!" Metalscar said.
Earlier, Twilight enters the science classroom and sees her team, who were waiting for her.
"Guys? What's going on?" Twilight asked.
"From lowly Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon, to early warriors, medieval knights." Rainbow said. "All leading up to the lunkhead basketball guy, Harrison Sparrow."
Rarity shows Twilight a poster of a basketball player with Harrison's head, enlarged and superimposed on top of it.
Twilight chuckles. "Really, guys?" She said.
"Yes, this culture worshipped the aggressor throughout the ages." Pinkie said, and she raises her voice. "But now, it ends up with spoiled, overpaid, bonehead athletes who contribute little to civilization other than slam dunks and touchdowns!" She screams.
"That is the inevitable world of Harrison Sparrow." Fluttershy said. "But the path of the mind, the path we're on, ours is the path that has brought us these ponies." She said warmly.
Rainbow presses a button and historical articles and pictures appear on her laptop.
"Eleanor Moosevelt, Feather Kahlo, Sandra Day O'Candy, Madame Curry, Juice Goodall, Oprah Windy and so many others who the world reveres." Rarity said.
"Uh, but what is it?" Twilight asked. "You know, I've got Luster Dawn waiting for me to rehearse." She turns to leave.
"TWILIGHT!" Rainbow, Pinkie, Applejack, Fluttershy and Rarity said, as Twilight returns to her seat with a scared look.
"Harrison Sparrow shows one side of evolution." Applejack said. "And our side?" She slaps various things with a pointing stick. "The side of education and accomplishment is the future of civilization! This is the side where you belong."
Twilight looks nonplussed. Rainbow switches the laptop to Harrison being recorded.
"All right, the singing thing is nothing! Probably just a way to keep my nerves down. I have no idea, but it means nothing to me! You're my guys and this is our team! Twilight and the callbacks are not important! I'll forget about her, I'll forget about the audition, and we'll go out and get that championship this Friday! Everyone happy now?!" Harrison said on the laptop.
Rainbow ends the transmission. "Behold the lunkhead basketball guy." She said, and Twilight feels hurt. "Twilight, we love having you on the team together! We were so happy about the news, right?"
Twilight sheds a tear.
"Do you wanna get somethin' to eat?" Applejack said.
Twilight runs out of the room in tears.
"Twilight?" Pinkie said.
"Twilight, where are you going!?" Fluttershy asked.
Twilight slams the door shut. She then looks out a window and sees the Wildponies throwing a celebration and chanting out 'Harrison', where Harrison is in the middle of it all.
Heartbroken, Twilight walks over to her locker as Harrison, unaware that she knows what he said, makes his way over to her.
"Hey, how are you doing?" Harrison asked, but Twilight is silent. "Listen, there's something I wanna talk to you about…"
Twilight turns to face him. "And here it is. I know what it's like to carry a load with your friends, and I get it." She said. "You've got your guys now, Harrison, so we're good."
"Good about what?" Harrison asked, confused. "I was gonna talk to you about the final callbacks."
"I'm not doing them either." Twilight said.
"What?" Harrison said.
"Who are we kidding?" Twilight asked. "I've got my team and you've got yours, so you'll win the championship and I'll do the decathlon. It's where we belong."
"But..." Harrison said.
Twilight takes out her copy of their song and gives it Harrison. "Go, Wildponies." She said.
"But, I-" Harrison said.
"Me neither..." Twilight said, as she walks away.
"Twilight!" Harrison calls out.
"WILDPONIES!" A cheerleader yelled, running past Harrison.
At a basketball court outside the school, Lightning calls to Harrison as he passes.
"Hey, Captain!" Lightning said, as he tries to give Harrison the basketball he's carrying. But Harrison refuses and flies away.
"Hey, is he all right?" Wheelburn asked.
"Don't worry about it." Lightning said.
Back at Harrison's house, James walks out onto the porch to watch Harrison, who is shooting some hoops. Harrison misses with the first ball, and he groans. He tries again with the second ball, but he misses again. He even misses again with the third ball, and he angrily catches the ball and throws it against the side gate. He lays down on the floor in tears. James walks back inside the house, feeling helpless. At Twilight's house, she is standing on her balcony in deep thought.