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// Chapter 15: Fifteen Minutes 
// Story: SuShi's Bizarre Adventure: Fantasy Friendship 
// by Jojoleopard 
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Florence took control of one of the electrical boxes in the area and snaked wires out from them, tying around White Buffalo as it drove around Gravity Kills, its head jabbing forward like a scorpion whenever it could. Gravity Kills increased the gravity further, soon pinning the motorcycle on the spot, but Running on Ice planted both hands on the ground and began freezing it, sending frost out towards them, and when it reached the enemy Stand, it began to climb up its legs. With the enemy temporarily frozen in place, Highwayman flew forward, copying itself three times as their fists pulled back to their shoulders, and when they were upon it, their spring loaded fists were thrusted forward, pummeling Gravity Kills all over before it lowered gravity, only to raise it again to throw them towards the black hole. The Highwayman copies fell into the darkness, disappearing from view, but the real Highwayman launched out its arms and wrapped them around portions of the boardwalk before springing back away from the encroaching void.

All this while, Sunset kept her attention on the black hole, her hands raised as Pegasus Fantasy stood by her, doing the same. She needed her all of her mind in this and she could not afford to lose concentration now, not when the black hole was capable of eating everything in sight.

It had already been two minutes and it had yet to grow any smaller. Sunset could feel the molecules working all around her, but she would have to keep it up if she wanted to stop Trixie.

Doors appeared all over the floor around Gravity Kills and Trixie and the would periodically open, releasing Highwayman or Running on Ice as they hopped up to briefly attack the enemy Stand, only to drop back through the door before it could do anything else, then coming out another one later on, repeating it.

“Stay still!” Trixie complained and stomped a foot as Gravity Kills formed a ring of debris around itself, sending it flying when one of the Stands popped up to attack.

“Kick to the face!” Rainbow said as Running on Ice popped up again, delivering a swift roundhouse to Gravity Kills’ head before dropping back down the doorway. “Kick to the back!”

It came up again, this time behind the enemy and kicked it in the back, pushing it closer towards White Buffalo, who belched fire at it. Fire caught on Gravity’s right arm, and mirrored itself on Trixie, who quickly tried to pat it out as she grunted in pain.

Highwayman was next to jump out of a door, but Gravity Kills was ready this time and spun its rocky barrier around, smashing it in the face and sending it flying into the water. Applejack was thrown back as well, her nose bleeding profusely, broken on impact. Running on Ice was next, rising up from the water on a pillar of ice as it washed a wave over Gravity Kills, then freezing it, trapping it in place. But with an increase in gravity, it shattered the ice, then manipulated it right back at Running on Ice. It morphed the shards back into water, but that distraction gave Gravity Kills time to fire more of its debris at it, hitting Running on Ice once in the chest, then the neck. Rainbow’s Stand fell to the water and disappeared beneath the surface as Rainbow herself dropped to her knees, coughing as she held her throat.

Sunset watched her friends get hurt around her and her reset faltered. “No! Not yet!”

She couldn’t worry about them now. It would serve no purpose to stop to help them when the black hole was going to destroy everything. She had to continue focusing.

With a deep breath, Sunset closed her eyes and raised her hands again. She thought back to the time Princess Celestia had taught them to cast magic for the first time. She had been an inexperienced unicorn oh so long ago and no matter how hard she tried, she could not get her horn to work.

“Focus, Sunset,” Celestia said. “Imagine you’re in your most favorite place in Equestria. Picture yourself there and pay no attention to anything around you. You must not worry about what the others see you doing. Focus only on what you want and you can do it, Sunset.”

“Focus…” Sunset repeated.

Her favorite place in Equestria had been the library in Celestia’s castle, but things had changed and that place only brought back bad memories now. Instead, Sunset chose to focus on Canterlot High School. It had been a while since she had walked through the halls, seeing as it was summer break, but she had always felt a sense of calm inside ever since running away from Equestria. Sunset had always had a life of solitude here, that is until she met Jojo and the others. In the last few days, even though there had been new beginnings, hardships and sorrow, she felt as though she had found a place among this group of girls and this mysterious man from out of town. They had given her a sense of belonging, something Sunset realized she had never felt before and she was willing to give it her all to protect this world and everything she held dear here. She had found friendship and she wasn’t going to give it up for anything now.

Eight minutes left.

As she focused on school and the faces of her friends, Pegasus Fantasy’s knuckles began to glow and light began to fill them. Sunset felt power wash over her hands and she couldn’t explain how she knew it, but she knew that this was the power of friendship and that was the source of Pegasus Fantasy’s strength as well as hers.

Willing its powers to press on, Sunset felt a tremor in the ground as the wood from the boardwalk began to fix itself, with the pillars rising from the water and reforming, allowing the planks to go back to where they were.

“What? No!” Trixie pointed at Sunset as the holes in the ground beneath her began to fill up. “Destroy her! Gravity Kills!”

Her Stand floated up and threw a lamppost at Sunset, but Golden Ticket emerged from the boathouse and threw a door into it, knocking it off into sea with a splash. The light flashed out from under the water for a second before fizzling out to send the sea back into darkness.

The black hole began to shrink now as the ground under it warped and distorted, reforming itself into how it had been. With the pull of gravity growing less powerful on the docks, less things were being pulled into the void and Pinkie was able to poke her head out from the boathouse with a grin, before Golden Ticket threw another door at her Stand.

“No!” Trixie growled and Gravity Kills scrambled forward, dodging the projectile and dropping onto all fours as it scurried for Sunset. She wasn’t going to let her reset her black hole.

Five minutes left.

Running on Ice returned from the water and washed a wave of ice across its path. It raised the gravity and crushed the ice to bits, but as it changed to water, Fluttershy’s Florence dropped the wires around White Buffalo to the water, sending electricity through it and into Gravity Kills.

“Aaaah!” Trixie grasped at her chest as her Stand took in the discharge.

It quickly retreated back to the air, but it was quickly tackled by Highwayman, who crashed to the ground when Gravity Kills raised the gravity again.

“Enough! You cannot stop the Great and Powerful Trrrrrrrrixie!” the girl yelled to the sky and began floating alongside her Stand as it raised itself to the roof of the boathouse again.

White Buffalo’s head snaked up to their position and speared both horns towards them, only to have Trixie’s Stand grab them, before lowering the gravity around it, sending the motorcycle Stand floating up, only to be thrown out at Running on Ice as it skated over on an icy slope, knocking both of them back to the ground in a heap.

Gravity Kills raised the gravity again and created a field of rocks around itself, but to her surprise, the rocks began to disappear one by one, moving back into the ground as it had been seconds before.

“No. No!” Trixie turned her attention to Sunset.

Pegasus Fantasy’s knuckles were gleaming brightly now and with each connection of friendship she had, Sunset found the encouragement to keep going. With only three minutes left, the black hole shrunk down to the size of a golf ball, and then it spiralled in on itself and vanished completely. She had done it. She had averted Trixie’s black hole.

Opening her eyes, Sunset could only smile as she watched Trixie’s shocked reaction from the gravity and docks resetting itself.

“No!” Trixie waved a fist at her from the roof. “But you’re a fool, Sushi. Nothing’s stopping me from making another one. Gravity Kills!”

“Not if we have something to say about it!” Golden Ticket emerged from a door to the roof next to Trixie.

Unfortunately for her, that meant there was no ground beneath her feet now and she plummeted down into the boathouse with a shriek. Gravity Kills turned its attention to its master to rescue her, and that gave Sunset enough time to close the distance between their Stands as she donned her fantasy armor, giving her wings a flap as she sped off towards them.

As Gravity Kills caught Trixie to put her down, ice formed on the ground around them, freezing them to the spot as Running on Ice skated by, giving them a small wave.

Gravity Kills shattered the ice on one foot with its claws, but it was too late. As Sunset leapt upon it, she drew back both arms and began delivering a barrage of heavy punches, punching so fast that her arms looked like a typhoon, each one striking against the enemy Stand, creating fist-sized indents all around it, all the while yelling at the top of her and Pegasus Fantasy’s voice.

“This is for Rarity! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! 
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Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! 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Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Wrrrrrrrrrroooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooorse! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh!

And with one final punch, Sunset drove her armored fist into her foe, sending both Stand and Stand user flying out into the water, where they landed with a huge splash. Sunset stood there, fist outstretched and smoking slightly. The space all around was stained with little flecks of red. Sunset lowered her fist and coughed. She hadn’t shouted like that for a prolonged period since… forever. She’d never shouted that much ever.

“Sushi you did it!” Pinkie bounced over and wrapped her arms around Sunset as her fantasy armor faded. “I never doubted you for a second!”

“Yeah, same goes for us. I told you you had it in you, Sushi girl.” Jojo clapped her on the shoulder as the rest of the group ran in from outside. “Rarity would be proud. If only she could still be with us now.”

“She would be…” Sunset looked out to the sea, where everything was now calm again. “Trixie. We’ve got to get her out of the water.”

“On it.” Rainbow sent Running on Ice out into the sea.

“What?” Jojo looked aghast. “We’re not saving her. She killed Rarity!”

“Under the influence of the master, Jojo.” Sunset put a hand on his arm. “It’s not her fault. No matter what she did, she wasn’t herself. She was being controlled. You can’t hold that against her. And I’m sure Rarity would want that.”

Jojo raised a finger, but then sighed and nodded. “You’re right. I’ve only known her for such a short time, but I know that’s what she would want. She was the most generous person I’ve ever known, even giving her life to protect mine.”

“And Trixie will get us closer to finding the master. I’m sure of it,” Fluttershy added her two cents. “As leader of the Bully Squad, she should remember the m-most…”

“Got her!” Rainbow exclaimed as Running on Ice walked over, placing a soaked and unconscious Trixie on the floor. “All yours, Sunset.”

Sunset summoned Pegasus Fantasy and began working on Trixie. Soon, the blue girl opened her eyes and spat out water.

“Bleh. I feel like absolute crap,” Trixie groaned. “Like I’ve been beaten up for seven pages.”

“That’s cause you were, silly!” Pinkie helped her up. “Good to have you back, Trixie!” And she tackled her in a big hug.

“Glad ya ain’t under the control of that nasty old master anymore.” Applejack planted a hand on the girl’s shoulder.

“I am so sorry for what I’ve done…” Trixie looked at her hands and trembled. “The master’s control is so strong. I could see it all, but I couldn’t… I couldn’t stop myself. Rarity, oh Rarity, Trixie is so very sorry…”

Jojo sighed and looked away. But then he cleared his throat and put a hand on her shoulder. “Trixie, we want to stop your master, to make sure nothing like that happens ever again. But we need to know what you know. Please, anything about who this master is.”

“I… I can help.” She looked up at all of them hopefully. “I was the one who made contact with her on behalf of the team. She’s… she’s… I don’t know if you’re going to like this.”

“We’ve been through a lot.” Sunset shrugged and massaged her own neck. “Whether we like it or not, we’ve still got to do it.”

“Well…” Trixie shuffled her feet. “She’s the principal. Of Crystal Prep Academy.”

Pinkie gasped. “But that would mean it’s…”

Trixie nodded. “Principal Abacus Cinch.”

“Game over, man. Game over!” Rainbow went to the corner and kicked a bucket with a mop in it.

“Why? What’s wrong?” Sunset asked. She knew about Crystal Prep and Canterlot High’s rivalry and how Crystal Prep always won every competition, but she didn’t see what the problem was here. And if Rainbow was already admitting defeat, then it was something big.

“We can’t go against Crystal Prep!” Rainbow kicked the bucket again and it tipped over. “They’ll mop the floor with us. Literally!” She grabbed the mop in the bucket and tossed it aside.
“We beat Trixie’s Bully Squad.” Jojo pointed out.

“Crystal Prep’s on a whole ‘nother level. Ain’t like anythin’ you’ve seen before.” Applejack took off her hat and looked down.

“They’ve beaten us at everything. Everything!” Rainbow pulled at her hair as she walked on the spot. “I should know. I captain every sports team. And we’ve never won a championship. Ever! We can’t face them.”

“We can’t just give up now!” Sunset tried to reason. “We’ve come this far. Giving up would mean Rarity died for nothing!”

“Sushi’s right. I didn’t come to this city to give up now.” Jojo raised a fist next to his face. “I came to make sure this evil is eradicated. I’m going to see this through.”

“As will I.” Sunset stood next to him. “You girls, she’ll keep hunting us down, regardless. She had the Bully Squad, I’m sure she has more, more people who need us to save them.”

“I-I think Sunset’s right.” Fluttershy walked out to them. “We need to do something ab-about this. We need to stop Principal Cinch.”

“Even if that means dying?” Rainbow asked and looked at all her friends.

“They’re right.” Applejack put her hat back on and spat at the corner of the boathouse. “Rarity knew this, and she gave her life to make sure we keep goin’. There ain’t a more selfless character than her. We should be doin’ the same. Crystal Prep may always win, but we gotta try.”

“Right, and we owe her to see this through to the end. To stop Principal Cinch and to free everyone she has controlled,” Sunset said. “You girls have shown me how important and strong friendship is. I know together, we’ll win this.”

“Hands in!” Pinkie suddenly stretched her arm out. “We’ll do this together!”

Fluttershy slowly stretched her arm out and out it over Pinkie’s.

“And count me in.” Jojo placed his hand too. “This Atticus Finch is gonna regret trying to take over the world.”

“Abacus Cinch.” Sunset placed her hand in.

“What?”

“It’s Principal Abacus Cinch.”

“Right. What she said.” Jojo grinned.

Applejack leaned in and placed her hand there too, leaving only Rainbow and Trixie.

“Trixie has a score to settle with her.” The magician grunted and looked out at the night sky. “But I’ll walk my own path. I’ll take her down myself.”

“Really? You’re sure?” Sunset asked. She knew Trixie was strong, but Cinch had taken control of her once. It could very well happen again.

Trixie nodded firmly. “Trixie has her own plans. Perhaps I’ll even take Cinch down before you do. Time will tell, but for now, I wish you all the best of luck.”

She pulled out a metallic ball and threw it to the ground, enveloping everyone is smoke. They coughed and gagged and when the smoke cleared, Trixie had vanished.

“Haven’t seen that in a while.” Applejack waved her hat around to clear the smoke. “Rainbow. Ya in?”

Rainbow still looked hesitant, but when she saw all her friends standing together, she knew she could not abandon them, not when they needed someone awesome like herself to help them.

“Count me in.” She stretched her arm out.

Together, they dipped their hands down, then threw them high. “For Canterlot!”

They knew what they had to do, and do or die, they were going to accomplish it.
———JO-JO————
Principal Abacus Cinch sat in her office, the air around her heavier and mustier than before as veins in her forehead threatened to explode. Trixie and her Bully Squad had failed. Now they had all been released from her control and she had lost some powerful assets.

This was the last time she was going to use outside assets. She should’ve known from the beginning that she would not be able to trust anyone other than her Crystal Preppers to get the job done. With her as principal, Crystal Prep Academy had never once lost in anything, especially her esteemed Shadowbolts, ensuring her legacy as principal as the best school in Canterlot would always endure. No group of Stand users from a lowly school like Canterlot High was going to stand in her way.

There was a knock at her door and Cinch composed herself and swiveled the chair to face the entrance. “Enter.”

The door was pushed open and in walked one of her favorite students, one of the members of her Shadowbolts. She had hand picked them from amongst the student body even before the emergence of Stands in the world, knowing that their skillset was far above that of their other acquaintances.

“Principal Cinch.” She bowed, her giant glasses almost slipping off her face as she did so. “After hours in the library, I believe I might have found somewhere worth investigating.”

“Ah, excellent work.” Cinch played her fingers on her cheek as she leaned against her desk. “I have sought this power for a long time. If we are to completely dominate this world, me and all of Crystal Prep, we must get it before this group of unexpected vagrants do. My rule will not be contested, especially not when we have it in our grasp. Once you find more traces of it, report back to me and I shall accompany you down there myself.”

“Of course, great principal. I will set out immediately to search for it and soon…” She held out one hand towards Cinch. “All will become yours. All the world.”

“Yes. Yes, you are very correct, Sugarcoat.” She turned back in her chair and smiled to herself. Once she had this power, no one, not even this Sunset Shimmer could stop her.

“You can try, but you shall never succeed,” she said as she stood from her chair and walked around her desk to a cupboard of trophies in the corner where her din lightbulb barely touched. She spied at her reflection and that of her Stand behind her, stretching its arms out and cracking its knuckles. “My legacy shall last for eons to come and I will not let anyone change that.”