The Rainbooms, Eren and Zuko gathered in the music, getting ready for the semi-finals. Whilst tuning her guitar, Sunset explain a bit about Zuko’s birth world. She told Twilight about how her and the girls had gone to that world to see what element they could use. She had just finished telling her and Zuko’s trip to see the Firebending masters Ran and Shaw when there was a knock on the door, and they turned to see Celestia, and Luna walk in. They both ran over to hug Sunset.
“Oh, little phoenix,” Celestia cried a little. “I’m sorry. I don’t know how those girls managed to control me”
“It’s ok mum, aunty Luna” Sunset hugged them back before motioning over to Twilight. “As you can see, we managed to get help”
“Oh,” Celestia blinked at seeing the princess. “It’s good to see you again, Princess Twilight, Spike”
“You too, Principal Celestia,” Twilight smiled at the older woman, Spike simply nodded in greeting
“And nice to see you back at CHS, Eren,” Luna turned to the boy standing next to Fluttershy
“Thanks VP Luna,” Eren nodded in greeting before remembering something. “Oh, and before I forget, due some events back in my world, you might be getting some more students soon.”
“Thank you for the warning,” Luna said, putting the information in her tablet
The teens explained the situation to Luna and Celestia. After the explanation, the principals agreed to keep up the façade in front of the Dazzlings. After a while, the principals left as the teens started getting things ready for the semi-finals
“This is it!” Sunset encouraged. “Last round and we’re hopefully in the finals! Unless you think the counter-spell is ready to be played now”
“Not yet,” Twilight said nervously
“Don’t worry Twilight,” Applejack smiled at the princess. “Finals aren’t until tonight. We’ll play our next song, with a bit more magic, gaining more of the Dazzlings’ attention. We won’t let you down!” The other girls nodded in agreement, only Sunset and Zuko noticed Twilight getting even more worried about the counter spell
Soon, it was time for the semi-finals. After a bit of teasing from Trixie, which they ignored, knowing that she wasn’t in her right mind. After her performance, it was the Rainbooms turn.
“Next up, the Rainbooms!” Celestia announced
“Knock ‘em dead, Rainbooms!” Spike called out
“And I’ll be here watching,” Twilight fidgeted with her notebook. “And working on the counter-spell.”
Once they were set up, the Rainbooms started playing:
“Sunset:
Friendship used to make me so queasy, queasy
But you made it all so easy, easy
Now I don’t have to say what I’m thinking
You already know without even blinking
Applejack:
You girls are the apple of my eye
Rainbow:
The race that doesn’t end in a tie
Pinkie:
You are the funnel cake at my fair
Fluttershy:
The warm hug of a fuzzy bear
Rainbooms:
Best friends until the end of time
We’ll have each other’s backs
And let our true selves shine
And that’s because everything we need is all right here
When we’re with our team”
The girls started to glow and were happy when they noticed the Dazzlings’ hold on the students were starting to lessen. Not that the sirens noticed as they were too busy staring at the Rainbooms in greed
“Sunset:
I simply can’t imagine there’d be a day
Where I wouldn’t want to be walking your way
Whatever new problems there may be, may be
Our friendship is always the door with a key
Rarity:
You are the jewels in my friendship crown
Sunset:
The sparks that make my world go ‘round
Rainbooms:
We bring the best out, that’s our goal
There’s no telling how far we’ll go
Best friends until the end of time
We’ll have each other’s backs
And let our true selves shine
And that’s because everything we need is all right here
When we’re with our team!”
They finished the song, with just their pony ears showing, they didn’t want to show all their magic just yet. They had decided to save the full pony ups for the finals. They walked off stage as Luna announced the finalists, which were the Dazzlings and the Rainbooms
“Congratulations, girls,” Celestia said to the two bands. “You deserve it.” She walked off with Luna to prepare for tonight’s finals
“See you at tonight’s big show, Rainbooms,” Adagio smirked at them. “We are really looking forward to it”
“Yeah, well…” Rainbow shot back. “Not as much as we are!” As the Rainbooms walked out of the auditorium, Zuko and Eren caught up with them.
“Hey girls,” Zuko smiled at them as walked up and kissed Sunset’s cheek. “I just got off the phone to my dad and he said he’ll be sending some agents over for the finals”
“Why?” Twilight was confused. “Why would he need to send agents”
“To take the sirens into custody afterwards,” Eren answered. “And to see if their current theory that the sirens’ need to feed on negative emotions is the reason for their attitude”
“Basically, a case of ‘you are what you eat’,” Zuko continued. “If it turns out to be true, then the sirens’ will be placed in rehabilitation while the scientists figure out a new way for them to feed, without any negative effects to them or anyone around them”
“That’s actually a pretty good plan,” Applejack said, after thinking about it.
“Now, we have some time before the finals tonight,” Rarity said. “So, how about we head over to the Sweet Café and Eren can give Twilight explanation that he promised”
After they found a booth to all sit in and ordered their drinks. Eren began to explain how he comes from a world, where giants called titans eat people and he was born behind giant walls protecting them from said titans. About a year ago, he found out that he could transform into one of the titans. Despite using his newly discovered ability to help seal a breach, he was banished from the walls for being the thing everyone hates.
“My friends and some of the higher ups did try to defend me,” Eren smiled sadly. “But, in the end, it was either banishment from the walls or becoming a lab rat before being executed”
“That’s terrible,” was the only thing Twilight could say now.
“It was, but I wasn’t alone,” Eren continued. “The local titan expert, Hange Zoe and her squad was banished with me. We think it’s because they were getting too close some kinda of truth. But we eventually found the portal to this world. When we came through, I didn’t want to be close to the portal back to my world, so we move here to Canterlot City. While I was here, I gain memories from my father.”
“How?” Twilight tilted her head in curiosity
Eren explained how when one becomes a shifter, they gained the memories of the shifter before them. Among the memories from his father, he had discovered that titans were once humans. One of the reasons he was away, was because he was helping Hange spread a cure they had created to turn the titans back to human. One of the titans they had cured in previous tests, turned out to be Eren’s stepmother from his father’s first marriage.
“Really?!” Twilight was glad for the happier ending there
“Yep,” Eren nodded. “Though, our last trip back to my world, while we were curing the mindless titans, we came across some people.” He took a sip of his drink. “It turns out I wasn’t the only titan-shifter in the 104th cadets. One of the girls, Ymir, revealed her titan form to save her friend. Only this time when they banished her, they banished a lot more people this time.”
“Anyone you know?” Rainbow asked curiously. “I mean, other than this Ymir person”
“Well, there’s Ymir’s girlfriend, Historia,” Eren answered after a moment to remember. “There’s my friend Armin and my adopted sister Mikasa”
“Oh,” Fluttershy perked up at the last name. “You mean I get to finally meet the rest of your family”
“Yep,” Eren nodded, just as excited as her. “Now, who else, hmm,” he thought for a second before continuing. “There’s Connie, Sasha and Jean. And that’s just the teens,” he laughed a little.
“Any adults?” Rarity asked, taking a sip of her drink.
“Yeah, and I can’t help but think my people really shot themselves in the foot when they banished these adults,” Eren shook his head at the thought. “They actually decided to banished Levi, the island’s strongest soldier and his squad. And Erwin Smith, the best of best in terms of Commanders. Absolutely crazy,” Eren checked his watch. “Anyway, there’s enough explaining for now. it’s almost time for the finals”
“He’s right,” Zuko agreed as he stood up, bringing Sunset up with him, the other girls and Eren following suit. “We better head over to the Canterlot City Amphitheatre, where the finals are being held”
“The next bus heading that way is in fifteen minutes,” Applejack said, looking at the timetable on her phone.
They all headed to the bus stop and caught the bus. When they got to the Amphitheatre, the boys split from the group, saying that Zuko’s dad had asked to them to meet him, his men, and a few others near the back, to finalise a plan to catch the sirens after they were defeated. The girls walked up on to the stage where their instruments were and started setting themselves up
“Check, one, two,” Rainbow spoke into the microphone. “Testing, testing…” she tapped it. “Testing…!” she pulled back at the microphone feedback
“I just hope we can beat the sirens tonight,” Fluttershy said as she checked her tambourine, making sure it was in working order. “I’m glad we made it to the finals”
“Well, I’m not,” they all turned to see Trixie and her friends glaring at them, their eyes still had a green tint in them. Trixie and her friends were still under the siren’s control.
“Are you alright, Trixie?” Rainbow asked, concerned. “You don’t look so good”
“I’m perfectly fine, I just can’t believe you losers are in finals instead of me,” Trixie sneered at them. “The Great and Powerful Trixie is the most talented girl at Canterlot High. It is I who deserves to be in the finals. And I will not be denied!” She snapped her fingers at her two friends, who pulled at the nearby lever. The floor under the Rainbooms opened, sending them screaming down under the stage. “See you never!” Trixie laughed as her group left, not noticing the Dazzlings nearby, smirking as the poor young magician did their dirty work