//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Welcome Back FTR // by AmethystMajesty25 //------------------------------// Back at Mind Tempo's house, Mind Tempo was still working on homework while Golden and Shelly got the science projects done. Golden Rock exclaimed, “All right, three weeks of CHS schoolwork a-done.” Shelly presented Tempo the finished science projects for Beryl, Diamond, and Cloudburst. “Uh, one problem. We didn't do it,” Tempo said. “Yeah, well, do you see Beryl, Diamond, or Cloudburst anywhere?” Shelly questioned him. “And how are you going to explain Ms. Cheerilee how we got three weeks of schoolwork done in two hours?” “We'll tell her it was a Starswirl miracle. And she will believe me because she is stupid.” Golden stated while Shelly opened the door until everyone saw Ms. Cheerilee outside, crossing her arms and staring daggers at Golden Rock. While Tempo cringed, Shelly told her, “He made me do it.” “Mr. Rock, I encourage students to help each other with difficult assignments,” Ms. Cheerilee started pushing the table back, “But I do not accept internet-purchased science projects, rented book reports,” She then pulled out the math homework on the table, “And how did you get this math done so fast?” Shelly admitted, “We hired Micro Chips, Scribble Dee, Wiz Kid, and Bright Idea to do it.” The four teens nervously smiled and waved at the teacher, crossing her arms. “Perhaps a ticket to the music festival will change your mind,” Golden handed the ticket to Ms. Cheerilee. Ms. Cheerilee received the ticket and answered, “They won't.” Golden groaned, “Ah, gosh!” “And if you want the boys to perform at the Starswirl Music Festival, their work is due TOMORROW!” Ms. Cheerilee walked towards the door as Mind Tempo put his head down. “And must average a C+.” She slammed the door and closed it. Everyone in the room did not like the sound of that until Shelly suggested, “Tempo has to do the projects.” “What?” Tempo reacted. Shelly reminded him, “The other guys are AWOL and Ms. Cheerilee "encourages" students to help each other.” Mind Tempo replied, “It's impossible.” Micro raised his hand, “Can I get a say on this?” Golden Rock, Mind Tempo, and Shelly Shores shouted in unison, “NO!” While Micro put his hand down, Golden Rock explained to Tempo, “900 years ago, the pilgrims came to this great land of ours in search of freedom. The freedom...to rock!” Mind Tempo corrected him, “Pilgrims came seeking religious freedom.” Golden yelled, “THESE ARE DIFFERENT PILGRIMS! Until today, we celebrate the bravery of those head-banging pioneers for one month! The Starswirl Music Festival. Now...are you gonna sit there and GIVE UP? Or are you gonna grab a number two pencil, strap on your thinking cap, and save the music festival?!” Mind Tempo stood up and answered, “I'll need report covers, a glue stick, a protractor, green glitter number three, and 19 high-energy sports drinks.” Golden, Shelly and the four math teens celebrated, “Yes!” Meanwhile, Beryl and Star were having lunch together at the park. “So, you read the script?” Shining Star asked him. Beryl answered, “Yes. Plus, Feather dates every one of his co-stars.” “I don't like him. I like you.” “Yeah…” Beryl replied. “Hey, I trusted you those weeks you were gone. And you got girls holding up "I heart Beryl" signs.” Beryl answered back, “But I didn't kiss them.” “And I'm not kissing Feather Bangs. My character, Rachel, is kissing Jake. Come to the set. You'll see the whole thing is totally professional and doesn't mean a thing.” “Fine. I'll go,” Beryl accepted her invitation. “Because I am totally professional too. It's just Rachel making out with Jake, not you and Feather. Easy.” While Shining Star was putting lipstick on for the scene, Beryl requested, “Could you stop that please?” Back at the community pool area, Cloudburst and Diamond Glow dragged Flash Sentry with his acoustic guitar and Sunset Shimmer and placed them on the couch Flash Sentry asked, “Okay, what's the plan here?” Diamond discussed everyone the first half of the plan, “You play Halfway There then we all sing.” “And then everyone joins in for one of our famous fire pit jam sessions,” Cloudburst continued. Sunset replied, “They love you, and you rule the pool again.” Cloudburst and Diamond said in unison, “Shpingo!” They sat on the couch between Flash and Sunset before Diamond and Cloudburst ordered, “Now play!” “One, two. One, two…” Flash and his pals were interrupted by Vinyl and another new guy who had brown curly hair, a yellow collared shirt, and jeans. He was rocking out the music on top of the giant speakers. “And who's this dude?” Diamond Glow asked. Flash answered, “That's Cheese Sandwich. Just like Pinkie, he knows how to party and start a party.” The CHS Forensics Club smiled, “Cheese Sandwich is rocking out the pool!” Cheese Sandwich jumped off the speakers and dived into the pool, creating a big splash. Diamond and Cloudburst were gobsmacked while Flash and Sunset picked up some umbrellas to protect themselves until the two guys got wet. Flash lifted his umbrella and informed the boys, “He does that every day.” Diamond exclaimed, “THAT'S IT! We gotta throw a party!” Cloudburst pointed out, “And we got to get those unitards.” Sunset shook her head, “Don't do that.” Meanwhile, everyone on set was preparing to shoot a scene for a TV show between Shining Star and Feather Bangs while Beryl watched to make sure nothing’s going on between them. Shining Star followed the script, “There's something weird about this town. They don't want us here.” Feather followed, “But I want to be here with you.” The two looked at each other and were ready to kiss until Beryl pretended to sneeze on his shoulder. “Cut!” The director shouted and everyone glared at Beryl. Beryl apologized, “Sorry, my bad. Continue.” “Lakeside High, make out scene, take two.” The director signaled, “Action!” “But I want to be here with you.” Feather said before he and Star were going to kiss until Beryl accidentally bumped the boom mic, making it hit Feather and interrupting the scene again. “OW!” “Cut!” The director shouted again before looking at Beryl again. Beryl apologized again, “Sorry. Won't happen again.” The crew member angrily shouted, “Make out scene. Take 25!” The director signaled again, “Action!” Feather and Star were ready to kiss until they were cockblocked again for the 25th time by Beryl who blasted the air horn and everyone on set was frustrated and angry. “CUT!!!” The director shouted, throwing the script down. Beryl looked around with worry and pretended, “Oh, I'm sorry. I picked up the wrong item. I was going to grab a smoothie. My bad.” Canter had enough of Beryl’s shenanigans and ordered security to kick him out. “I'm sorry! I'm sorry! It was a mistake! All right!” Beryl apologized and the two security guards kicked him out of the set. They locked the door and Beryl pleaded, “No! No! Please let me in! I promise I'll be quiet!” The bell rang and the scene started rolling again. Feather resumed his line onscreen, “But I want to be here with you.” Star and Feather kissed while Beryl groaned, “Ah…” Then, Virtue unexpectedly popped out of the recycle bin and watched the scene on TV. She said, “Nobody is that good an actress.” Star and Feather continued kissing and Beryl complained, “Nobody can hold their breath for THAT LONG!” He facepalmed after that. Back at Mind Tempo’s house, Tempo was almost done with the math homework while Golden and Shelly helped. “5.87 greater than…SPORTS DRINK!” Tempo ordered and Golden Rock poured his drink to his mouth. “WHOO!” Tempo cheered after he drank his beverage and resumed working, “14.7, 23π. Science station!” He signaled and everyone headed to the next station. Everyone put their goggles on and Tempo wondered, “Can a watermelon power a device to make perfect toast?” Tempo plugged in the watermelon to the toaster and waited for the toaster to work while Golden and Shelly crossed their fingers. Seconds later, it did not work. Golden told him, “It didn't make toast.” Tempo explained, “Exactly. That was my hypothesis. Watermelons can't make toast.” Shelly commented, “That is a horrible science project.” “I'm only going for a C+! Book report!” Tempo signaled and the two adults gave him a book to read. “Turn!” He said and Shelly turned the page. Gloria walked by and asked her son, “Shouldn't the other guys be doing some of the work, son?” Tempo assured his mother, “Oh, don't worry. They will. Turn!” He signaled and Shelly turned the page again. Back at the park, Beryl was sitting on the bench with a bouquet of flowers in his hand, feeling bad about what happened earlier. Shining Star arrived and saw her boyfriend holding flowers as a sign of forgiveness. She smiled and walked towards him. Beryl admitted, “I think dating in Canterlot is a little more complicated than in Vanhoover.” Shining Star sat down next to her boyfriend and told him, “There is nothing going on between me and Feather.” “And I believe you. I swear,” Beryl stated, putting his hands up. “Good. Then I'm gonna put my stuff down. Go get us both some drinks and then you can tell me about the tour.” Star left to get some ice cream in the park. Then, Star’s phone chirped and Beryl looked at the text from Feather Bangs. Feather Bangs: I feel the same way about you. Beryl read, “I feel the same way about you.” He picked up the phone until he remembered the advice from Virtue, Daisy, and Pinkie. “Trust is number one.” “Nobody is that good an actress.” “That guy is way better looking than you.” Beryl then realized that Virtue, Daisy, and Pinkie was standing next to him. He questioned them, “What are you guys doing here?” Pinkie answered, “I was just taking a stroll around the park.” Daisy replied, “I'm heading to the gym.” Virtue said, “Moral support.” As Beryl’s girlfriend came back with sodas on her hands, Beryl told them, “Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!” Daisy, Virtue, and Pinkie scurried away until Star saw her phone on Beryl’s hand. “Is that my phone?” Star asked. Beryl stood up and quoted from Feather’s text, “"I feel the same way about you." What does Feather feel the same way about?” Star put down the drinks and took her phone back to look at her texts. Feather Bangs: Wow, what a great day on set! Shining Star: I know. BTW, you are a really gifted actor. Feather Bangs: I feel the same way about you. She read the texts to Beryl, “"Feather: Wow, what a great day on set! Star: I know. BTW, you are a really gifted actor. Feather: I feel the same way about you."” Beryl was taken by surprise after Star showed him the texts. He replied, “And that's exactly what I thought.” Star put her phone away and Beryl begged her, “Can we just forget all of this ever happened?” Shining Star grabbed her stuff and told him, “I think you should just forget about me.” After hearing those words, Beryl felt sad and heartbroken as Shining Star walked away. Then, his best friends came by with bags of party items and party hats on their heads. “Ooh, tough break, buddy,” Diamond told him. “We'll find you a new girlfriend…” Cloudburst continued, “At our welcome back party. Trust us, you'll have a fun time there and you can forget about everything that happened. Now let's…” “Party!” Diamond and Cloudburst cheered in unison. “Ooh-ooh!” They brought Beryl along and exited the park. While heading towards Diamond’s house, Diamond said, “By now, the noobs know about Quibble's no-party rule.” Cloudburst added, “But that never stopped Fun Time Rush, and that's why everyone's gonna come to our…” “Great. You got here fast,” A member of the CHS Forensics Club said. “Hey everybody, delivery guys are here.” The party-goers cheered and took FTR’s party stuff, bringing it to Cheese’s house. The guy with shades on from the CHS Forensics Club told them, “Looks like the music festival came early this year. WHOO!” The Forensics Club went back to the party until Cheese Sandwich showed up. “WHOO! Boopity-boppity! Beepity-bop!” He took their party hats and went back inside his house. “YEAH-AH!” Fun Time Rush approached the house and saw Cheese’s awesome party with Vinyl playing music from her turntables. Diamond and Cloudburst were amazed until the door was closed on them. Minutes later, the three boys arrived back at Tempo’s house and they were feeling sad. “I am so sad,” Diamond commented. Then, an awfully, worn out Tempo grabbed his friends to their finished science projects. “Write 25/63 here,” Tempo ordered and Diamond wrote the fraction on the paper. “Write C-L-O-U-D-B-U-R-S-T here,” Tempo ordered, dragging Cloudburst there before Cloudburst started writing his name on his paper. After that, he dragged Beryl to his science project. “Pour this…” Tempo gave him a bottle of bleach before covering his mouth with his arm to cough. “On that.” Beryl looked at the plants read the title of his science project, “"Does Bleach Effect Plant Growth?"” Golden Rock and Shelly Shores appeared behind the table of science projects. They shouted in unison, “WE JUST NEED A C+!” “Just do it!” Tempo ordered. Beryl shrugged and poured bleach onto the plants. The next morning, Fun Time Rush delivered their science projects to Ms. Cheerilee’s classroom with Golden and Shelly watching. “Beryl Fury. C+.” Ms. Cheerilee told him, giving him his grade. “Yes!” Golden and Shelly celebrated. Ms. Cheerilee went on to Diamond’s science project, “Diamond Glow. C+.” Golden and Shelly celebrated again. “Cloudburst,” Ms. Cheerilee turned on the laser and it opened fire. The boys dodged that quick with the use of their ninja skills and the laser made a hole on her textbooks. She graded him, “B.” Cloudburst smiled and bragged to Beryl and Diamond, “Ha! I'm smarter than both of you, y'all!” “Mind Tempo,” Ms. Cheerilee called and Fun Time Rush, Golden, and Shelly were eager to find out about his grade. She told him, “C.” Everyone was upset and whimpered until Ms. Cheerilee surprised them, “Plus.” She showed Tempo his grade and it was in fact a C+. “Yes!” Golden cheered as Tempo cheered in joy until he fainted. “Starswirl Music Festival, HERE WE COME!” Then all of a sudden, Cheese Sandwich and the rest of the new students showed up. They all asked, “Are you guys playing at the music festival?” Diamond answered, “Yeah, we're one of the bands.” Cheese and the rest of the new students begged the boy band to give them tickets. Shelly calmed everyone down and told them, “You can all watch from the VIP area thanks to Fun Time Rush.” Everyone celebrated and the new students carried Diamond, Tempo, and Cloudburst to the exit, getting all excited. Tempo told his buds, “Oh, you know they just love us for our tickets.” Diamond and Cloudburst agreed, “We're okay with that. OOH-OOH!” However, Beryl came in last to call Shining Star. “Hey. It's me. I'm sorry.” Meanwhile on set, Star listened to Beryl’s phone call as he continued, “I can't forget about you. I'm gonna leave you a ticket to the music festival. If you come, then I know you'll give me a chance, but if you don't, then I know it's over.” Beryl hung up as Feather entered to Star’s dressing room. He greeted her, “Hey, I was thinking, after we're done shooting the scene today, maybe you and I could go see a movie or something. What do you think?” Shining Star thought about it real hard, thinking about which destination she will choose to go. Meanwhile at the Starswirl Music Festival, the announcer said, “Are you ready for the music festival?” The crowd in attendance and some with fan signs cheered and applauded. Fun Time Rush looked at the crowd and saw their family and friends in attendance, old and new, including the Ninja Turtles, Rainbooms, Dazzlings, Shadowbolts, and Allies. Mind Tempo said, “Oh wow, it really is a Starswirl Miracle.” “The entire CHS is here, old and new. Except…” Diamond stated as Beryl looked around the crowd to find Shining Star, but she wasn't there. Beryl sighed as Cloudburst told him, “Sorry, buddy.” Golden Rock instructed his boy band, “Okay, we're gonna perform four songs, and we're gonna start with The City Is Ours.” The boy band understood until Beryl suggested, “I want to do the new one.” Shelly and Golden were surprised by Beryl’s song choice. “Really? I don't think that we've rehearsed that one enough,” Shelly told them. Beryl assured them, “Just trust me.” The rest of his bandmates told them, “He's got this.” Their manager didn't have much of the choice and decided to go with the flow as the music started playing. Almost done with the song, Beryl then saw Shining Star in the crowd and held up her fan sign saying, “I ❤️ Beryl.” Beryl was very happy and his bandmates were happy as well to see Shining Star in attendance. They then continued singing their song as the crowd cheered. As for Golden and Shelly, Filthy Rich came by and told them, “This is going to be the best Starswirl Music Festival ever!” Golden and Shelly fist bumped and made their boss happy. [Fun Time Rush] I can't forget about you. [Cloudburst] Step it up Get in gear Go for broke Make it clear Kendall Schmidt as Cloudburst James Maslow as Diamond Glow Carlos Penavega as Beryl Fury Logan Henderson as Mind Tempo [Mind Tempo] Gotta go Fun Time (Diamond Glow: Oh, hey) Stephen Kramer Glickman as Golden Rock Tanya Chisholm as Shelly Shores Alexa Penavega as Shining Star Kelly Sheridan as Watermelody [Diamond Glow] Make it work Get it right Change your world [Beryl Fury] Overnight Tara Strong as Twilight Sparkle Rebecca Shoichet as Sunset Shimmer Andrea Libman as Pinkie Pie Vincent Tong as Flash Sentry and Feather Bangs [Cloudburst] Gotta dream Fun Time [Mind Tempo] Oh woah! Kazumi Evans as Adagio Dazzle Diana Kaarina as Aria Blaze Maryke Hendrikse as Sonata Dusk "Weird Al" Yankovic as Cheese Sandwich [Everyone] Hey! Oh! Hey! Oh! [Cloudburst] Give it all you got now [Everyone] Hey! Oh! Hey! Oh! Challen Cates as Daisy Glory Ciara Bravo as Virtue Richard Newman as Mr. Cranky Doodle James Kirk as Micro Chips [Diamond Glow] Isn’t it a rush? [Everyone] Oh-oh, oh-oh. Oh-oh, oh! Cathy Weseluck as Spike Nicole Oliver as Ms. Cheerilee Brian Drummond as Filthy Rich Go and shake it up! Whatcha gotta lose? Go and make your luck with the life you choose. If you want it all, Lay it on the line. It's the only life ya got, So ya gotta have a Fun Time!