//------------------------------// // Chapter XXII // Story: Being A Parent Is Hard // by TheKing2001 //------------------------------// I gave a sigh and rolled my eyes as the Rainbooms continued their arguing. Arguing over what song to play is honestly ridiculous. Just pick one. Boom, problem solved. Or well, that would be how I would do things. Spike was sleeping soundly in the corner to my surprise. I thought the loud arguing would have kept him awake. Maybe he’s used to their counterparts arguing in Equestria. I’ve only ever met them once and that was when I stole the crown and they were chasing after me. “We have to play Awesome As I Wanna be!” Rainbow insisted. “It’s our only opportunity to get ahead into the winning bracket! This might be our last opportunity to do something about the sirens.” “Ah hate to agree with her but Dash is right,” Applejack grunted. “We only got one shot, one opportunity.” “Okay Eminem,” Rainbow rolled her eyes. Applejack raised an eyebrow and stared at her in confusion. “Emmawho?” Applejack asked. Rainbow sighed and waved a hand nonchalantly. “I’ll tell you later,” Rainbow pointed to the stage. “It’s our turn. Let’s go.” She quickly jogged to the microphone while the others followed at a more restrained pace. “Awesome as I wanna be,” Rainbow grinned. Kill me now, someone. No seriously. She is so egotistical, it’s not even funny. And people said I was bad. At least I didn’t have a song dedicated to me being better than everyone. Oh wait, I did. “First you see me riding on a sonic boom, got my guitar shredding up my latest tune.” She did random poses that I barely understood. Spike woke up and rubbed his eyes, staring. “Rainbow being Rainbow again?” He asked. “Yep.” “There is nothing you can do to beat me, I’m so good that you can’t defeat me. Yeah, I’m awesome, take caution. Watch out for me, I’m awesome as I wanna be. Yeah! I’m awesome, take caution. Watch out for me, I’m awesome as I wanna be!” All the lights focused on her playing her guitar. “Do something Sunset! She’s about to pony up!” Spike said frantically. So I did the only thing that came into my mind: I ran out and tackled her. Her guitar flew through the air and impaled Pinkie’s drum who screamed in shock and all the lights came on. Rainbow glared at me while I gulped. “That’s the bad girl we love to hate!” Flash shouted after a moment of silence and I flinched. We had a nice conversation the other day. How could he switch so fast? “I knew she was still trouble!” Octavia yelled and I flinched again. I knew she still hated me and this proved me right. “Oh yeah. Sunset Shimmer is back!” Someone yelled. “No. It isn’t like that,” my head dropped as I walked behind the curtain. “What was that!? Rainbow got up in my face. “You were showing them your magic. I didn’t know what to do!” I shouted. “Close the curtain? Give us a chance to deal with the situation?” Rarity snapped. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to help.” “Yeah well you didn’t,” Rainbow growled then screamed as Spike bit her ankle hard and drew blood. She tried shaking him off and he bit her harder, shaking his head a bit. “Spike! Oh my God! Let go!” Rarity shouted. I gave a cold grin hidden behind my hand at him defending me. I loved this dog, I swear. Maybe I’ll trick Twilight into letting me keep him and turn him into me and mom’s guard dog. Spike yanked off some skin and sat down. “Don’t be a bitch Rainbow Crash,” Spike taunted. I’ve never heard him cuss before so that shocked me. “Nice performance Raingoos,” Trixie mocked. “I especially like the part where Sunset in a fit of jealous rage, knocked Rainbow Dash out mid guitar solo!” I finally snapped. “It wasn’t a fit of jealous rage!” I screamed in her face and she stepped back. All the others rubbed their heads except Rainbow who stared at Spike in fear when he started growling angrily. “If you say,” Trixie said smugly. “Looks like the principals are here to announce who’s going to be moving on. Guess it wasn’t too hard.” “What are we going to do?” Rarity panicked. “We won’t get another chance to play again. And I had the most gorgeous dress planned.” “Because that’s the tragedy here Rarity. That yah won’t get to play dress up!” Applejack shouted. Rarity gave her a dirty look. “That is not what I meant!” Rarity snapped. “And the next band moving on will be the Rainbooms,” Principal Celestia announced. Trixies eyes shot open and she gave us dirty looks. “This isn’t over,” she snapped as she stormed off. “Congrats girls. You earned it,” Principal Celestia smiled. “Good luck Rainbooms. See you at tonight’s show. We are looking forward to it,” Adagio smirked coldly. “Yeah well not as much as we are!” Rainbow shouted and the crowd booed. “This never should have been yours Rainbooms!” Photo Finish yelled. “Traitor!” Lyra yelled at me and I stared in shock. I knew it was the Sirens spell messing with her but it didn’t make that any less easier to hear. Bon Bon gave me a dirty look as she nodded her agreement. I gave a long sigh and stepped out of the gym. “Thanks Spike,” I picked him up and scratched his ears. He turned around and licked my cheek. “No problem.” ------------------------------------------------------------- “Testing testing. Testing,” I said as I messed with some dials and a loud sound that hurt my ears came out the speakers and I quickly turned them back to where they were sheepishly. “Sorry.” Rainbow sat playing with her guitar while Fluttershy did whatever it was to her tambourine. I think that’s what it was called. “Isn’t it odd how we got chosen? We were awful!” Fluttershy sighed. I mean, it makes sense why we got chosen. The Sirens manipulated the principals. It’s times like these I’m glad I was a bully. I can easily see when others are getting manipulated. It’s a very useful skill to have. “Very odd,” Trixie announced. I rolled my eyes when I saw her and her two bandmates. “What are you doing here Trixie? Pretty sure the losers get the cheap seats,” Rainbow pointed with a smug smirk. “You shouldn’t be allowed to continue. Not after how hard we worked. And I will not be denied!” Trixie snapped her fingers and Fuschia pulled a lever, making the doors under us open. I didn’t even have time to scream as we fell. “See you never!” She waved as I glared up at her, watching the doors shut and envolpe us in darkness. “W-where are we?” Fluttershy asked with a trembling voice. I felt around with my hand. “If I had to guess, I’d say this is where the stage hands have their props hidden during plays,” I shrugged. I forgot our school used this stage as a place for all our plays. “I can’t see if we have a lever or button to push to make it go up. Even if it did have one and we found it, the power probably is rerouted to the lights and other stuff above us.” “How do you know all this?” Rainbow asked. “I know all the inner workings of our school and it’s properties.” I had considered trying to sleep in here once but when I found out it was actively used by the school, that idea went to shit rather quickly. Which really sucked. This room was very warm. Would have been better than my bush but at least my bush got me a mom. Oh shit. Mom is going to freak out when I don’t return home tonight. That’s not going to be good. Hopefully she doesn’t ground me and assume I was out prostituting. Lyra mentioned she might be able to get me a job where she and Bon Bon work. Apparently she got Bon Bon one when the girl first moved here. “We are going to die in here. And it’s all your fault!” Rarity pointed at Rainbow. “My fault? What the fuck!” Rainbow fumed. “What gave you that notion?” “Maybe if you hadn’t antagonized Trixie, we wouldn’t be here! We would be up there!” Rarity snapped. “We might as well give up trying to get out.” I immediately tuned them out and sat down. I kinda wish Spike was here. At least I could pet him without it being weird. Humans mostly aren’t a fan of being petted. Well, the normal ones aren’t I should say. I lost track of how long we were sitting down here. I’d say two or three hours based on my phone being dead. My eyes drifted up at a green smoke rising out of the girls and I glanced back at Twilight having a panic attack. “Stop it! You have to stop!” I shouted. “This is what they’ve been after. The magic inside you.” “But how? It’s the magic of friendship!” Applejack stated with a confused expression. I took a deep breath. “When you guys started the band, you guys let little things bother you. I didn’t say anything at first because we aren’t friends and it isn’t my place but I want out of here,” I sighed. “We need to work together.” Rainbow gave me a startled look before nodding. “Let’s bust this damn door down!” She shouted and we all ran at it. It swung open and we fell over. My eyes lit up when I saw who it was. “Vinyl! Oh my god!” I tackled my dj friend in a hug. We had become friends after she invited me to a rave party. Apparently that was how she reached out and made friends according to Derpy. Vinyl hugged me back after a second. “Spike!” The dog was grinning behind us. “Sorry it took so long. Had to find someone not under their spell,” Spike quickly nuzzled me and I laughed. That tickled but in a good way. “Why isn’t she under their spell?” Twilight wondered. Spike and I looked at each other smirking before speaking in unison. “Never takes off her headphones.”