“Welcome to the first-ever Canterlot High School Battle of the Bands! I believe I speak for everyone when I say it is by far the greatest thing we have ever done here at this school! We are so glad our three newest students encouraged us to turn this event into something exciting!” Principal Celestia said as she received cheers from all sides.
On this last sentence, she gestures off to one side to the Dazzlings lounging at the top of the bleacher seats, then back to the stage, where Luna takes the mic.
“But as this is now a competition, we can only choose one winner. Who is it going to be?” Luna quickly killed the vibe that everyone had, and turned it into a vibe of fighting.
Angry grumbles fly here and there and several close-range face-offs erupt; all the while, the eddies of green bad-mojo mist swirl through the room and make their way toward the Dazzlings. Just as at the kickoff party, they relax and let it flow into their pendants for a few seconds.
“You feel that, girls? Our true power is being restored.” Adagio smirked as she looked towards the others.
Aria and Sonata giggle venomously as the gym doors open to admit the Rainbooms, including their newest members, along with Sunset, Lloyd, and Spike. A gesture from Adagio cuts off the merrymaking; cut to a slow pan across the ill-at-ease ensemble. Applejack, Cole, Kai, Zane Fluttershy, Nya, and Rainbow, and Rarity have their instruments out and ready to play, Pinkie and Jay carry their sticks, and Twilight clutches Fluttershy’s notebook to herself.
“And that’s before we’ve tapped into the strongest magic here.”
“But the Rainblossoms, or whatever they’re called, aren’t under our spell. How exactly are we supposed to get to their magic?” Aria asked, not fully sure of her teammate's plan. “The Rainbooms are just as capable of falling apart as anyone else. They just need a little push in the wrong direction. I have a feeling everyone here is going to be lining up to give them a shove.” Adagio smiled evily.
All three smile down toward the nascent brouhaha at floor level. Later, The lights in the gym are down except for two spotlights that pick out Snips and Snails, both dressed as 1980s-era rappers: sunglasses, baseball cap turned backwards for Snips, do-rag tied over Snails’ hair, baggy sweatshirts and pants. Celestia and Luna are seated at the table in front of the stage, and all of the Rainbooms except Rarity are gathered off to one side with Spike and Sunset. As Snips does a beatbox rhythm, an impassive Celestia and Luna watch unamazed and annoyed, and the alarm clock hanging on a gold chain around Snips’ neck, as well as the fact that his shades have a louvered design to their lenses. Snails’ do-rag has a snail centered on the forehead.
Snails: Aw, yeah! Snips and Snails in the house, yo!
Snips: They call me MC Snips, and it ain’t no lie
My favorite food is, like, pumpkin pie
Snails: I’m DJ Snazzy Snails, I like whales
When I go to the beach, I always bring my pails
Cut to Sunset, Lloyd, Spike, and the Rainbooms in the wings. Pinkie grooves to what passes for the beat, but none of the others can believe this crime against all things hip-hop. Another short spell of beatboxing from Snips before he starts his next verse.
“And I thought Dareth was bad…” Kai groaned.
Snips: Everybody knows my favorite color is orange
(He jumps ahead into a squat and leans out over the front edge of the stage.)
My rhymes are so fly, you better…uh…um…
Snails: Than an orange, yo
Snips: Yeah!
Snails: Yeah!
Snips: Represent!
More beatboxing, which fails to get any favorable reaction from Celestia, Luna, or quite a few other contenders. The next two lines overlap.
Snips: What do we…what do we do now?.…no, no
Snails: How do we get off the stage? I’d like to leave right now
The Dazzlings are up in the bleachers. As Snips does some more beatboxing, Adagio and Aria stifle a guffaw and Sonata bobs her head to the sloppy rhythm.)
Snips: Bam! That just happened!
Snails: Aw, yeah! We out!
Snips: Snips and Snails outta here!
They finish by standing back to back, holding their microphones out at arm’s length with heads down, and dropping them onto the stage. The impact sends up a shrill whine of feedback that sets the crew in the wings to wincing and covering their ears.
“Please do not drop the microphones.” Celestia scolded the two coldly. The two boys didn’t seem to mind tho, as they cheered and high-fived each other. The two hopelessly inept rappers pick up the dropped items with a laugh and clear off the stage, passing the Rainbooms and company.
“In your face, Rainbooms!” Snips bragged.
“Least we know one group who won’t stand in the way of us gettin’ to the finals.” Applejack chuckled as she turned to the others. “Let’s get ready to rock!” Rainbow and the other began walking to the stage until Pinkie noticed that someone was missing? “Wait! Where’s Rarity!”
“Here! I’m here!”
Rarity steps into view with a relieved sigh, accompanied by a metallic jingling sound. Seen from behind, she has changed into short, light brown platform shoes; the material of her skirt is purple, its hem a lighter shade, and covering it is a long, light brown coat whose hem and sleeves are hung with small metal strips. The shoes are similarly adorned. She has traded her usual gold bracelets for a pair with small studs. The shoes are actually sandals, and she has added a gold pendant and a light brown headband to the outfit. The only “regular use” item visible is her light blue blouse. A toss of her head is met by dumbfounded stares from the others.
“We will be performing in front of an audience. I’m not going to wear something fabulous? Hmph!”
Applejack just groans loudly and pinches the bridge of her nose to express her supreme frustration, while Cole facepalms and Nya just laughs. Across the gym floor, there are the muttering participants and onlookers. Among them are the Crusaders, who have adopted the outfits and hairstyles used by their pony counterparts in “The Show Stoppers.”
“Remember, we have to be good enough to make it through, but not so good we let the Sirens see the magic within us. They could realize we plan to use it against them.” Twilight explained. “Got it! Be cool enough to win, but not so cool that we end up showing off the whole ears-and-tails-and rainbows thing. So…about twenty percent less cool.” Rainbow shot her a thumbs up. “Didn’t hear anything about twenty percent more hot tho!” Kai slicked his hair back as the rest groaned.
“One Two!” Pinkie clacked her sticks.
Rainbooms: We’ve just got the day to get ready
And there’s only so much time to lose
Because tonight, yeah, we’re here to party
So let’s think of something fun to do
Photo and her two bandmates sneak onto the catwalks above the stage, the latter girls each holding up a long string with a magnet on one end and a crossbar grip on the other.
Rainbooms: We don’t know [we don’t know] what’s gonna happen
We just know [we just know] it’s gonna feel right
All our friends are here, and it’s time to ignite the lights
One magnet is tossed over the railing, attracting the metal strips on Rarity’s right sleeve and pulling her arm up with them; the other catches her left. Zane also attaches to the magnets due to his metallic body and is swung around with Rarity.
Photo takes great delight in manipulating the two crossbars to work the hapless keytarist and robot like a marionette; Applejack is thrown off by the spectacle.
Rainbooms: Shake your tail, ’cause we’re here to have a party tonight
[Shake your tail, shake your tail]
Shake your tail, ’cause we’re here to have a party tonight
[Shake your tail, shake your tail]
A flick of Rarity’s arm knocks Applejack’s hat off and knocks her into Cole, who glares at the two of them and grabs her hat depositing it on the head of her bass; she quickly puts it back on.
Pinkie looks up from her kit with concern; out on the floor, the crowd is decidedly unimpressed and the Crusaders have fallen asleep on their feet, leaning against each other for support. Bloom wakes up. She punches Jay in the arm to wake him up too, as he has seemed to fall asleep, he has also broken his sticks somehow, making the two greatly annoyed with each other.
Twilight: So what, you didn’t get it right the first time
The frizzy-haired drummer kicks her floor tom so that it swivels on its mount. Once it has stopped with its open lower end pointing up at an angle toward the crowd, she stomps a kick pedal to launch a salvo of confetti, much to Jay’s annoyance, who kicks his own tom, showing a bunch of lightning vfx effects, which makes Pinkie think he’s trying to out show her.
Pinkie, Jay: Laugh it off, no one said it is a crime
The drifting paper bits have Twilight/Fluttershy/Rainbow/Kai worried; Applejack keeps glaring at the out-of-control Rarity and Zane, and Cole is now trying to hold them, which makes Applejack pull him back to keep playing, Nya steps away to the corner to watch in shamefulness, knowing that they’re doing bad.
Rarity, Nya (Quietly): Do your thing, you know you’re an original
Rarity and Zane are slung sideways against Applejack, who kicks them out of the way.
Applejack, Cole: Your ideas are so funny that they’re criminal
As Twilight sings the next line, she gets a piece of confetti stuck in her throat and breaks into a coughing fit, relieved only when Fluttershy whacks her in the back with her tambourine.
Rainbooms: Oh-h-h, ah
Rainbooms: We’ve just got the day to get ready
Flash and his two buddies throw them a disgusted look and walk out.
And there’s only so much time to lose
(Snips and Snails slip onto the catwalk.
Because tonight, yeah, we’re here to party
Snickering, they get hold of a spotlight.
So let’s think of something fun to do
Snips: Awesome!
Snails: Yeah!
The beam picks out Fluttershy, who freezes like a deer caught in the high beams and dodges to one side before taking cover behind Twilight and then running across the stage, she ducks under Kai’s foot, making him fall over and gets back up angrily, and Fluttershy is scared by the random lightning effect that appears upon her.
Rainbooms: We don’t know [we don’t know] what’s gonna happen
We just know [we just know] it’s gonna feel right
Applejack pivots away to keep Fluttershy from crashing into her bass; then has to get out of the way when Rarity and Zame swing in from the other side, making her knock over Cole, who tumbles to the back of the stage, deciding to stay there.
All our friends are here, and it’s time to ignite the lights
Photo’s trio, Snips, and Snails keep up their dirty tricks as Fluttershy desperately scrambles for any cover she can find.
Rainbooms: Shake your tail, ’cause we’re here to have a party tonight
[Shake your tail, shake your tail]
Shake your tail, ’cause we’re here to have a party tonight
[Shake your tail, shake your tail]
She cowers behind the drum riser, Rarity and Zane try to pull free of the magnets, and Pinkie’s bass drum vibrates the scattered confetti. Applejack grimaces at the chaos as Zane finally rips themselves loose, making Rarity falling on her face, losing her coat sleeves, and voicing a shocked gasp once she fully takes in this indignity. Instantly she bursts into a flood of tears that sets her mascara running, and Zane looks at the paint that has come off his arms, instantly freaked out. The five still in view soldier on, while Fluttershy timidly taps her tambourine from behind the riser.
Shake your tail, ’cause we’re here to have a party tonight
[Shake your tail, shake your tail]
Shake your tail, ’cause we’re here to have a party tonight
[Shake your tail, shake your tail]
Shake your tail, ’cause we’re here to have a party tonight
Rarity’s crying comes through all too clearly in the silence following the end of the song, which is broken only by vigorous applause from a beaming Celestia and Luna. Their faces are the only ones in the place not showing some degree of disapproval. Once they stop clapping, they jot notes on the sheets in front of them; cut to Sunset holding Spike as Rarity stumbles down off the steps, still in hysterics.
“Ruined! Absolutely ruined!” Rarity cried out as Applejack came behind. “Rarity, were you trying to make us lose out there?” Applejack asked, greatly annoyed. “This was not my fault! This was an act of Sabotage! You saw what they did to Zane!” Rarity stammered indignantly. “Yeah, well, whoever did this couldn’t-a done this if you didn’t insist on dressin’n like—like—this!” Applejack yelled. “We need to sound good! Is there some reason that concept seems to escape you?”
“Can’t sound good if I'm getting knocked around the place half the time!” Cole spoke in. “Also, Zane, what’s with all of that! You can use your cloaking, you know, this world locked away our elemental powers, not your robot ones!” He got in Zane’s face. “Cole. The cloak only makes me look human, not actually turn me into one!” Zane argued back. “If you want to blame someone, blame her!” Zane pointed at Rarity, who put her hand to her chest in shock.
“Pinkie and Jay, what’s with the confetti and lighting! How am I supposed to shred if there’s paper stuck in my frets!” Rainbow complained to them. “Well I’m sorry that I don’t like confetti everywhere either!” Jay yelled. “It was pretty distracting.” Fluttershy whispered. “Said the girl who was running away from a light the whole time! A light!” Pinkie yelled at the girl as she cowered down. “Hey! You don’t have to yell at her!” Nya got in Pinkie’s face. “At least she had a reason to be scared, what’s with the hiding in corners?” Rainbow made Nya shut up immediately. “She’s right, you never back down from something,” Jay noted. “Oh please, didn’t you break your sticks multiple times!” Nya shot back.
“If all of you would just focus we wouldn’t have this situation right now…” Kai spoke up. “You’re one to talk! Stop touching your hair for once!” Rarity pointed at him. “Oh that’s it! Nobody Insults my hair!” Kai started to walk towards her as Cole blocked him. “Slow your roll hot-head, we don’t know if we lost yet!”
“You still sounded much better than most of the other bands. I’m sure you’ll make it to the next round, but it won’t matter if you don’t have that counter-spell ready!” Sunset targeted towards Twilight. “We just have to keep making it through, without letting stuff get to us okay/” Lloyd added. “You all find a place to practice where the Sirens can’t hear you. We’ll keep an eye on things around here.” Sunset affirmed.
As she speaks, Derpy Hooves and two other girls emerge onto the stage from the other side. In close-up, the cross-eyed blonde perches on a stool and begins to play a saw by drawing a violin bow across the edge. One of the others taps a triangle, while the third girl strikes a cowbell with gusto.
The Rainbooms walk down a hall, instruments and drumsticks in hand, with Spike leading the way.
“I don’t think we should use a classroom.” Twilight says as they approach Flash, but do not notice until she runs into him from behind. Her blush and embarrassed giggle are met by a very hairy eyeball aimed along the neck of his guitar.
“We really need to stop bumping into each other like this.”
His bandmates are nearby, leaning idly against the lockers, and he addresses them as if the girls were not even present.
“Uh, you guys hear something?”
“Uh-uh”
“Nope”
Twilight tried raising her voice. “I said, we have to stop-”
“There it is again! So annoying.”
“Why are you acting like this? I thought we were friends?” Twilight asked as he pulled in a scornful breath. “Yeah, and then you decide to come back here just so you can beat me in the Battle of the Bands. I want this, Twilight, and you’re trying to take it from me! Some friend.”
“That’s not why-” Twilight was pushed away by AJ and Kai. “Come on Twilight, We’ve got things to do.” AJ told her. “Also, are we gonna talk about him sounding like me?” Kai asked. “Stop copying my voice!” He yelled back to a confused Flash. “Whatever dude! You sound like me! And Twilight, you really think you’re gonna help them? Heh! I bet you have no idea what you’re doing!” Flash yelled back. Cole, wanting to take vengeance for his friend, begins to run back, but is held back by Rainbow. “Not worth it.”
The lower lip Twilight catches in her teeth, and the tears welling up in her eyes, tell just how close to home those words have struck. She wipes them away, and the sound of Adagio’s low chuckle cuts in. The Dazzlings are a short distance back, loving every minute of this drama.
“Tears already? This is only the first round.” Adagio said as Aria and Sonata break into vicious giggles, but stop at a beep from the intercom.
“The next band to take the stage will be Trixie and the Illusions.” Celestia said over the intercom. “Better head back, we’re supposed to go on after Trixie.” Adagio motioned for the girls to follow her.
In an adjoining hall as they round the corner into it, a sudden gesture from Adagio stops them in their tracks; cut to just behind them, framing Sunset and Lloyd leaning against the wall in the shadows near the double doors at the hall’s end. They are not at all amused, and the girl pushes off from the wall to give the three a good look at her expression.
“You’re never gonna get away with this.”
“Why? Because you didn’t?”
The species-switched unicorn’s ire melts into doubt and a decent bit of fear at record-breaking speed at this reminder of her own thwarted scheme.
“Oh, we know all about you, Sunset Shimmer. You’ve got quite the reputation at Canterlot High” Adagio circled the girl. “I’ve changed! I’m in a much better place now!” Sunset defended. “Waiting in the wings while your friends have all the fun?” Aria began circling around her too. “Oh yes, you all are so tight, and yet… they didn’t ask you to be in the band.” Adagio smirked. “Probably afraid no one would want to see them play if she was in the group.” Aria added.
“That’s not true.” The two sirens looked up to see Lloyd step from his location. “And Isn’t it the fabled green ninja?” Adagio put a hand on her hip as Lloyd’s expression faltered. “You think we don’t know about your father? About your family? About you?” They moved towards him.
“You know nothing of the fact.” He kept his face straight. “Well, who do you think banished us here?” Aria’s statement made Lloyd’s face drop. “You’re wasting your potential Lloyd… we could use a cute boy like you on our side,” Adagio whispered to him.
“I’d never betray my friends.” Lloyd rejected her. “Oh well… not like you two will still have them after we’re done.” She shrugged. “Too bad, so sad.” Sonata teased the two. “And Sunset? If it’s any consolation, no one is going to remember you at all by the time we’re done.” Adagio sneaked to kiss Lloyd on the cheek, much to his disgust and walked off, bumping the girl in the process.
Lloyd looked at Sunset with an ashamed look on his face and sighed. “We’ll get through this, I promise.” She put a hand on his shoulder and looked at him. Lloyd couldn’t help but think about how pretty she was… but now was not the time.
———————
“Remember, girls. We want to save the good stuff for when our full power has been restored.” Adagio reminded them.
Their pendants gleam in the dim light, but settle down by the time the curtain opens. Three spotlights flick on in a cluster to hit each of the malevolent singers as they step slowly toward the edge of the stage.
Dazzlings: Oh, whoa, oh, whoa You didn’t know that you fell Oh, whoa, oh, whoa
Adagio: Now that you’re under our spell
They start to sway to the rhythm.
Adagio: Blindsided by the beat
Clapping your hands,
stomping your feet.
You didn’t know that you fell.
[Aria and Sonata vocalize a harmony line.]
Now you’ve fallen under our spell
Celestia and Luna watch, entranced.
[More harmony.]
Extreme close-up of a large blue question mark on a white field, zooming out. It stands at the center of an elimination bracket diagram with sixteen entries, each marked by a different symbol to represent the competing bands. They are arranged in two groups of eight, one on each side, with the blanks for the finalists connecting to the question mark.
Dazzlings: We’ve got the music, makes you move it
Got the song that makes you lose it
Zoom in quickly on one pair: a pair of scissors and a snail painted on a brick wall, against a winged barbell. Two vertical panels slide in—Snips and Snails throwing down on the right, Bulk Biceps playing a violin on the left. The beefed-up teen wears a light gray jersey marked with a barbell, dark gray pants, and a gray/white baseball cap with tiny wings protruding from the sides.
Dazzlings: We say “jump,” you say “how high?”
Put your hands up to the sky
Full-screen view of the duel; a bubble of red energy has formed around Bulk, and it blasts outward to send the hip-hop fools flying. Their symbol gets a slash of red ink across it to mark their elimination, and the one for Bulk advances into the next round.
Dazzlings: We’ve got the music, makes you move it
Got the song that makes you lose it
On the other side is another duel—the planet Earth overlaid on a flower and the recycling logo of three arrows bend into a triangle, versus a two-tone blue shield marked with yellow lightning bolts and a speaker beneath a row of spotlights. Two horizontal panels slide in: an eco-kid trio with acoustic instruments on top, Flash and his two buddies on bottom. Seen next in fullscreen, the blue field around the rockers bursts out to hurl their opponents off their feet.
Dazzlings: We say “jump,” you say “how high?”
Put your hands up to the sky
The diagram; the losers are marked out and the logo for Flash’s band slides ahead.
Dazzlings: Oh, whoa, oh, whoa
You didn’t know that you fell
Aria and Sonata drift past from opposite directions, the background changing to show Twilight furiously scribbling in Fluttershy’s notebook.
Oh, whoa, oh, whoa
Now that you’re under our spell
Dissolve to a close-up of Adagio and cut to Aria and Sonata in turn.
Adagio: Listen to the sound of my voice
Kids start to sway in their seats, absolutely mesmerized; close-up of Adagio, zooming out to frame all three.
Soon you’ll find you don’t have a choice
Cut to a slow pan across the Rainbooms, set up onstage and trying mightily to get their groove back as they play. Rarity has changed back into her usual outfit.
Adagio: Captured in the web of my song
Pan quickly to Octavia, seated under a lone spotlight and bowing her cello with drive. Vertical split screen, showing the two competitors, then a full screen view of both. The red field around the Rainbooms sends Octavia flying toward the outfield when Rainbow and Kai hit a riff.
Soon you’ll all be singing along
Extreme close-up of a pair of hands moving across a piano keyboard, then pan quickly to a second pair doing the same. These twenty digits turn out to be attached to Bon Bon and Lyra Heartstrings, playing a duet on the same piano and singing into one microphone.
Dazzlings: We’ve got the music, makes you move it
Got the song that makes you lose it
Across the way are Trixie and her two partners, collectively the Illusions. She has changed into a two-tone blue long-sleeved dress and matching boots accented with jewels and starred bands across the insteps, and she has donned a starry wizard’s hat and cape such as those worn by her pony self. The other two wear similar hats, but in a different color; one is marked with stars, the other with crescent moons. Trixie plays a “Flying V” guitar, while the others each have sampler consoles slung on straps around their necks. Trixie jumps forward to slide across the stage on her knees, hitting a chord that sends Bon Bon and Lyra sailing.
Dazzlings: We say “jump,” you say “how high?”
Put your hands up to the sky
The brackets again; the duo’s mark—a lyre and a stretch of piano keys surrounded by wrapped candies—gets crossed out, and the moon/star logo for the Illusions continues ahead.
Dazzlings: We’ve got the music, makes you move it
Got the song that makes you lose it
(Dissolve to ten of the eleven Rainbooms, now arguing heartily among themselves, and tilt down to Twilight and Spike sitting on the floor. She continues to scrawl in the notebook.
We say “jump,” you say “how high?”
Cut to a long shot of three hazy silhouettes standing in a cloud of smoke, with red laser beams shooting out in all directions, and zoom in quickly. The figures resolve into the Crusaders, a flash of light turning them back into silhouettes and leaving only their eyes blazing.
Put your hands up to the sky
Fade to white, then in to the arguing Rainbooms. Spike watches despondently from the floor, while a resigned Sunset stands with her back to the group and her arms crossed, letting her head droop, and Lloyd ponders with a disappointed look on his face, most likely thinking about what Adagio said.
Dazzlings: Oh, whoa, oh, whoa
You didn’t know that you fell
Dissolve to a close-up of Adagio, features barely visible under the spotlight glare; Aria and Sonata step up on either side.
Oh, whoa, oh, whoa
Now that you’re under our spell
Fade to white, then in to a close-up of Trixie and Flash in a heated argument. Zoom out; they and many other performers exchange cross words amid a knee-high green haze of negative vibes.
Oh, whoa, oh, whoa
You didn’t know that you fell
The view fades to red and in to an extreme close-up of Adagio’s pendant; zoom out to frame the entire gym awash in the energy, which is pouring into all three girls’ gems.
Oh, whoa, oh, whoa
Now that you’re under our
Adagio: Spell
The girl let out a maniacal laugh…