“Sunset Shimmer? What are all of you doing in the gym closet?” Twilight asked as she looked around. One of the students turned on a smile lantern and Twilight recognized several students, including Lyra, Bonbon, Trixie, Snips and The student she was chasing which turned out to be Snails.
“This is the only safe place for us to meet.” Trixie commented.
“Only safe place?” Twilight repeated.
“We are the resistance!” Snips shouted out
“Yeah!” Snails added. The rest of the people glared at the two.
“What is going on here Sunset?” Twilight asked more urgently this time.
Sunset shimmer didn't respond she simply held up a packet of papers.
“Whats this?” Twilight took the packet from Sunset and looked it over. Twilight noticed that the packet was titled 'S.T.E.P: Standardized Test for Extracurricular Participation,' but something was wrong, the questions were completely different from the packet that counselor Liss showed her, and that wasn't all. The questions were harder. Much, much harder.
“This was the STEP test that the majority of the students received last year.” Sunset Shimmer explained as she took the test back from Twilight.
“But that's impossible.” Twilight rummaged through her backpack and took out the test Liss had given her. “According to the counselor this was the test that everyone received last year.
Sunset Shimmer snatched the packet from Twilight and quickly looked it over.
“I knew it, I knew something was wrong when only the drama club and the graduating students got perfect scores. The rumors were true, they did get easier tests.” Sunset sighed as she handed the packet back to Twilight.
“forgive me Sunset.” Twilight interrupted. “But you were in the same class as my friends, didn't you graduate?”
Sunset Shimmer nodded. “Yes I did, but after I did, Snips and Snails began telling me about everything that was happening. About how extra curricular activities were starting to disappear and how the Drama Club was getting all the attention. I did so much damage to the school when I was the queen, I couldn't sit by and let someone else make the same mistakes I was making.” As Sunset Shimmer spoke she clenched her fist and her eyes flared up with determination.
Twilight couldn't help but smile, it looks like her friends had a possitive effect on Sunset Shimmer after all.
“Well now that we have this information what should we do with it?” Asked Lyra to the rest of the group.”
“The GREAT and POWERFUL Trixie, suggests we go tell Principle Celestia! If anyone can fix this mess it's going to be her!”
Twilight Sparkle shook her head. “That wont do anything, before I came here I overheard a conversation between Counselor Christina Liss and Vice Principle Luna. Miss Christina was able to talk her way through the argument, and was able to pin the blame on the students. If we take this to Celestia, I'm sure she'll just do the same thing again.
“There's gotta be something we can do.” Bonbon added. “The STEP test is only a couple days away. This is our chance to get all of the extra-curricular activities back into Canterlot High.”
“We could always cheat.” Snips pointed out.
Everyone in the group looked at Snips, shocked that he even suggested that. Even Snails gave him a dirty look.
“No no, hear me out.” Snips insisted. “We know the drama club is going to have easier versions of the test right? Why don't we just copy all of their answers onto our tests? There's bound to be at least one Drama Club member in each of our classes!”
Both Trixie and Sunset both face palmed. Trixie let out an irritated groan, and Sunset Shimmer simply shook her head with her hand still over her eyes.
“The problem with that Snails.” Sunset explained. “Is that they're going to have COMPLETELY DIFFERENT tests than us. That includes both questions and answers...”
“Oh yeah...” Snips blushed with embarrassment.
“So what do we do?” Asked Lyra once again.
Twilight stepped forward standing in the middle of everyone. “We do the only thing we can do! We study hard, and we beat the STEP test at it's own game!”
Sunset Shimmer shook her head again. “Twilight I really do respect your resolve, but this isn't going to be solved just by studying. Think about it, the STEP test is intentionally made next to impossible for everyone except for the Drama Club so they can stay as the dominant club.”
“Next to impossible does not mean impossible Sunset Shimmer!” Twilight exclaimed defiantly. “Also it's not like we need perfect scores, we only need 90s. If the STEP has 50 questions like it did in last years packet, that leaves a five question room for error.”
Sunset Shimmer looked around at the rest of the group. Most seemed unsure about Twilight's plan, but it was the best one they had that wasn't going to get them into trouble.
“Alright Sparkle, we'll do it your way.” Sunset Shimmer held out her hand as she spoke and Twilight took it in her own.
“Great! If we can get everyone together into study groups and all help each other out, I'm sure there's nothing we wont be able to do!” Twilight looked at Snips and Snails. “You two ask around drama club, get a list together of how many people want to go back to their old clubs. Just be careful who you ask, and don't talk to any of the leaders.”
Both snips and snails saluted Twilight, with a perfectly in sync “Yes ma'am!”
“Trixie, do you think you could ask the teachers about what topics they think will be on the STEP?” Twilight continued.
“The Great and Powerful Trixie will do her best!” Trixie replied also saluting Twilight.
“Alright everyone. Let's pass the STEP!” Twilight jumped out of the center of the group and held out her fist everyone in the room clenched their fists together and thrust them forward in one collective fist bump. Then they all reached up in a group cheer.
Under Twilight Sparkle's direction, and with Sunset Shimmer helping out from the sidelines, many of the students began committing themselves to studying as much as they can. Forming study groups ranging from just a few people to entire cafeteria tables. Snips and Snails made their way through Drama Club spreading Twilight's plan to anyone they thought would be interested. While some of the students were skeptical about passing the STEP, a good amount of them were more than willing to believe in anything that would get their old clubs back. Some called off of the plays they were part of, claiming they needed the extra time for studying. While others snuck in study sessions during breaks and intermissions. Ravewind, Chroma Sketch and Lilly held a private meeting between themselves and the higher members of the Club in order to discuss this strange and shocking turn of events.
“So how many exactly have we lost?” Ravewind asked.
Lilly and Chroma looked over the clipboars they were both holding.
“We lost almost all of the jocks,” Chroma answered. “A thousand and one knights is starting to look more like two hundred and twenty.” She joked.
Ravewind didn't say anything, he simply shot her a disapproving glare.
“We lost a few in the background choir," Lilly pointed out. "But I can make up the difference myself. We also lost a bit of our background characters. We haven't lost any major characters, and you and Chroma are playing the lead roles.”
Suddenly the doors to the drama room burst open. ACE walked in wearing a black mask that covered the top half of his face and a good portion of his hair. He was dragging Snips and Snails by their arms and tossed them before the rest of the members present in the meeting.
“Oh hey ACE, fashionably late as always.” Ravewind smirked at his friends before looking down at the two guests he brought with him.
“I caught these two talking to some of the students in the stage crew. Apparently our friend Twilight Sparkle is responsible for the recent desertions. She's encouraging the other students to study for the STEP test instead of helping with the club.” As ACE spoke his voice slowly turned into a low grumble and steam began to raise from various parts of his jacket's sleeve. Lilly quickly ran over to him and whispered into his ear.
Calm down Amethyst, your holes are starting to show
ACE inhaled and exhaled the steam resided and he removed his mask tossing it into his Backpack.
Ravewind looked at Snips and Snails with one eyebrow raised. “Now why would she do that? What possible reason does she have for studying for the STEP test?”
“Twilight's a bright girl.” Chroma added. “She of all people wouldn't need to study for something so easy...”
“Oh like you don't know!” Snails spontaneously burst out.
Everyone turned to face Snails. Snips desperately tried to cover Snail's mouth, but Snails managed to wiggle away from him.
“She's having us study because unlike all of you WE'RE given the really STEP, and it's Very Very VERY hard!” A small tear came to Snails eyes. “It's not fair. How come Drama gets the easy test?!”
ACE, Ravewind, Chroma, and Lilly all looked at one another.
“What on earth are you talking about?” Lilly asked as she slowly walked over to the two of them.
“Maybe the rumors are true Ravewind.” Chroma stated as she turned to the Club's leader.
Ravewind shook his head in disbelief. “There's no way. Counselor Liss told us that was just an excuse the students were coming up with because none of them put in the effort to pass.”
ACE walked up to Ravewind and put a hand on his shoulder. “In any event, excuse or not. We can't have these two pulling away more of our club members. The performance this weekend is going to be the biggest one that Canterlot High has ever done. If we loose any more members we'll have to cancel.”
Ravewind nodded in agreement and looked back at Snips and Snails. “I'm sorry you two, but for now we'll have to keep you here in the Drama Club room. Everyone else, the meeting is dismissed, thank you for your time.”
The various other students in the room left leaving only the four leaders of the club, and Snips and Snails.
Chroma Sketch turned to face the two boys ACE had dragged in. “We'll let the students that left the club already keep studying. If what you say is true, they're going to need it. However, you must understand that we can't spare anymore. Even if it means we look like the bad guys to the rest of the school this play is important to everyone still loyal to the Drama Club.”
“So how long do we have to stay here?” Inquired Snails.
“Personally I think we should keep them here until the end of the STEP test.” ACE muttered coldly.
“ACE that's a few days from now, we can't keep them locked up in the school overnight.” Lilly protested.
ACE said nothing and simply shrugged.
“We'll keep them here for the rest of the day so they can't recruit anyone else to Twilight's side. After school lets out we'll let them go.” As Ravewind spoke he gathered up the two clipboards and any other papers he could find regarding the meeting. ACE left the room giving Snips and Snails a cold glare as he did.
About an hour later, ACE knocked on the door of Counselor Christina Liss' room.
“It's me.” He stated quietly.
“Come in dear.” Christina replied.
ACE opened the door and closed it behind him.
“Twilight is aware of what we've been doing.” ACE admitted. “We should accelerate the plan.”
Christina Liss shook her head. “That's not necessary. I was already suspicious of Twilight and have acted accordingly. Let the Drama Club get all the rehearsal time they need. Because after all.” Liss' eyes flickered a bright green as she spoke.
“The show must go on.”