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// 1: The Mission 
// Story: Messages from Canterlot High 
// by aricaitlyn 
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It was just another ordinary day at Canterlot High, or so I thought. I sat in math class finishing up Friday's quiz when an announcement came over the intercom.

"Rainbow Dash to the principal's office immediately, Rainbow Dash to the principal's office immediately. Thank you."

I put my pencil down. People sitting around me stopped their writing to stare at me. It's like they were almost anxious to know what I was in trouble for this time, if there even was trouble. 

"I didn't mean to steal Principal Celestia's slacks!" I wanted to shout. "I just wanted to prove a point to Rarity!" But instead, I pulled my backpack on and walked out of the classroom, trying my hardest not to make eye contact with anyone. 

Closing the door behind me, I took a right turn and found the staircase, the same one that had led me straight to Principal Celestia's office many, many times before. I opened the door to the office (our school called it a "guidance office") and stepped inside. A school secretary sat at a desk, clacking away on her computer. 

"Hey, Principal Celestia wanted to see me, so...I'm here?" The nervous way I spoke made it sound like a question.

She pulled her hands away from the keys once she noticed me. "Ah! Rainbow Dash, you're right on time. Step right into that office; Celestia said that she had big plans for you!" Her voice was singsongy, making these "plans" sound either really awesome or totally diabolical.

I gulped and began to play with my hair, keeping my hands busy. "Plans?"

She nodded. "Something about a confirmation. I don't know, but she seemed really eager. Almost like she was dying to tell you the news!"

I took a gulp and stepped into Celestia's office, prepared to apologize endlessly for this week's shenanigans until no words remained. But instead of looking businesslike and angry with me, Principal Celestia sat at her desk with her feet up, and it looked like she had gotten herself another pair of slacks. Her sister, Vice Principal Luna, sat next to her. The two were sharing a box of donuts.

"I'm sorry to interrupt...whatever this is, but you wanted to see me?" 

I took a seat in the wooden chair Celestia would set aside for me whenever I had to see her. The chair was a bit too firm for my tastes, but otherwise comfortable for sitting and listening to one of Principal Celestia's lectures on "responsibility" and/or "anti-vandalism".

Principal Celestia swallowed and immediately sat up, almost like she was afraid that I had seen her not being, well, principal-y. "No, it's fine. Luna, the lights!"

Luna stood up, holding a chocolate donut with blue frosting in her mouth. She flicked out the room's lights and took her seat, munching on the donut. 

Celestia turned on her projector, displaying a PowerPoint presentation. "The city of Canterlot, a diverse and tranquil city full of unique landmarks," Celestia narrated. 

She clicked to the next slide. "But exactly one month ago, trouble in the form of inter-dimensional travelers appeared." 

The next slide showed a picture of the school's horse statue. "According to thirty-five online forums and one guy down the street, this statue encloses a portal to another dimension. We believe that the travelers from this dimension begin as frogs and come into our world in the same forms as us."

"I know that, Principal Celestia. Everybody knows about the dimension-traveling frogs. But what does this have to do with me?" I asked. 

Celestia turned to the next slide. A video taped from a local news channel began to play. "This just in," the news reporter, a tall woman with yellow skin and purplish hair announced. "Six girls with equine traits were seen just tonight. They were capable of vanquishing evil forces, the one in question having escaped from another dimension. Footage was shot of Canterlot High's destruction. A satanic demon, most likely from another dimension, had faced off against these girls and lost. Canterlot High's foundation was also lost, and rebuilt from scratch as punishment for the demon's destructive actions. Witnesses say that this event was all but a hallucination, induced by either lack of sleep or some kind of a mental dysfunction. Half of the witnesses were high-school students who had been supposedly brainwashed by the demon. And now, tomorrow's forecast."

Celestia stood up and turned off her projector screen. Luna hit the lights. "We need you to visit other places to prove that this event was real. Even though there was footage and proof, some people are still skeptical of the whole thing." Celestia clapped her hands together and her expression grew darker. "Canterlot High needs more buzz. Heck, the city of Canterlot could seriously benefit from all of this!"

The trash can next to Principal Celestia began to shake suddenly. Without hesitation, Celestia kicked the trash can over and Pinkie Pie, my best friend, tumbled out. Her frizzy pink hair was coated in a fine layer of garbage, and instead of her usual cardigan, skirt, and combat boots, she wore a black hoodie and gray jeans. 

"I'm here!" Pinkie announced, standing up. A large smile spread across her face.

Celestia put her hand on Pinkie's shoulder. "Pinkie Pie here will assist you in your travels."

Pinkie did a cartwheel in my way, then jumped. "I'm so excited for this, Dashie!" She suddenly snapped into a military-like salute. "I mean, yes, ma'am, Rainbow Dash, I am prepared. Hee hee!" Pinkie began to hop around in place, swinging her arms back and forth.

I nodded. "Okay. Where are Pinkie and I headed?"

"You'll be going all around the world," Celestia replied. "Your first stop is a little town called Vasqville. Assemble a home base and try your hardest to blend in with their world. Prove that there's nothing shady about you whatsoever, yet prove that the events of the Fall Formal were legit. Check in with us every night." Celestia handed me a pink backpack. "Everything that you'll ever need is in here."

I cringed. I look good in all colors of the rainbow, but definitely not pink. It was much too girly for my tastes. I was surprised that I could get along so well with Pinkie Pie; the girl's a pinkaholic. "Can I get this in a less...girly color?" I asked, holding the bag like it was contaminated with some kind of deadly disease. 

Celestia shook her head and smiled at me. "According to our studies, the females of Vasqville wear the color pink quite often! You'll blend right in!"

I sighed and slung the bag over my shoulder. "Fine."

Pinkie Pie jumped up and wrapped her arms around me in a hug. "Oh, I'm so nervouscited!" she squealed.

"Pinkie, that's...not even a real word..."

I led her outside of the office. Celestia and Luna waved goodbye, then turned back to their almost-empty box of donuts.