Today is the day it would all go down. Not only was the STEP test today, but today was also the day of the Drama Club's big performance. One thousand and One Knights was the biggest show the Drama Club has ever attempted. Featuring students of all ties from all areas of expertise. To the members of the club, it was a symbol of unification. A pact among the students, that hasn't been seen since the fall of Sunset Shimmer. For the members of the Resistance, and for all the other people in the school, the play was a crippling detriment. A reminder that as long as drama club was in power they may never see their respective clubs again.
That was all going to change today. Thanks to the efforts Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer, most of the students had spent the last week and a half studying as much as they could. They knew their tests would be harder than any they have ever taken before, but each student knew that with the help their friends had given them they could pull through. The time had come. Everyone reported to their respective homerooms for the STEP test, giving each other last second wishes of good luck. Twilight herself took her test in the library, and was instructed to hand her test to the librarian on the way out. Twilight sat down cracked her knuckles and spun her pencil around her fingers. The announcement was made by Principle Celestia to begin the test.
Twilight flipped open the STEP test and looked over the first question.
“Let's see...solve the following mathematical equation...” Something was wrong. Twilight moved onto the next question. “Find the volume of...oh no...” Something was very wrong. Twilight had been given one of the easy tests. She began to effortlessly breeze through the problems stopping on only two for brief seconds before continuing. “Christina Liss must have found out I was the one helping everyone study...” Twilight whispered to herself. Twilight double checked her responses to the problems, then triple checked. She even had the time to quadruple check her answers before anyone else in the library went to turn in their test. She handed it to the librarian than grabbed a nearby book to read. As she did she couldn't help but worry about everyone else.
It was the end of the day. The final periods all let out half way through to let students go to the school's stage to watch the Drama Club perform. As the students made their way to the stage an announcement rang out over the intercoms.
“Good afternoon students, this is Principle Celestia. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate everyone here.”
The students all looked at one another confused.
“Vice Principle Luna, the teachers, and myself have just concluded grading the STEP tests. The scores were a record high in Canterlot High history. The lowest grade was Mr. Snails with a high 90. As a result of all of your dedication, all after school programs and activities shall resume effect of tomorrow.”
Anything else Celestia had to say was drowned out by thunderous applause, cheering, and even some foot stomping. Even members of the drama club cheered and hollered uncontrollably.
Chroma, Lilly, and Ravewind's heads and hearts all sank. Ravewind was especially crushed. All the effort he had put into building up the Drama Club, and all the work he put in to unifying the students of the school was all about to go to waste. Starting tomorrow students would return to their normal clubs, and with clubs came cliques, and with cliques came division.
Suddenly several Drama Club member approached the three of them. One put his hand on Ravewind's sholders as he spoke.
“Don't worry Ravewind. Our clubs may be back, but you and your friends still helped us. You took us in when we had no where else to go, and thanks to your help we became close friends with people we never thought we'd befriend.”
Ravewind looked behind him to see a beefy jock hug a scrawny little lightweight nerd. He couldn't help but laugh at the scene.
“We won't get our clubs back until tomorrow.” The boy pointed out as he continued. “So we're going to see this through. You helped us, we help you.” At that everyone in the room cheered for the three Drama Club leaders. Lilly, Chroma, and Ravewind looked at each other and nodded with new found determination.
“Let the show begin!” They all said together.
Twilight, and the rest of the students made their way to the school's auditorium to watch the Club perform. When all was said and done, Twilight really felt bad that she had taken away so many of the Drama Club members to help everyone win back their clubs. The Drama Club was really nice to her and she still considered them her friends. She hoped that staying to view the play would help make up for the damage she had done to them, at lest by a little bit. As everyone got seated a small gray and silver haired girl whom Twilight assumed was Silver Spoon walked up on stage and started to set the scene. Soon the curtains rose and the play begun. Twilight was amazed by the amount of detail in the props, backgrounds, and especially the costumes. Chroma Sketch and the other artists did an amazing job, and Ravewind and Lilly's acting and singing were unlike anything she had ever seen or heard. Strangely enough, there was no sign of ACE. Perhaps he wasn't in the play. Twilight checked the guide for the play. “Queen's Adviser” Twilight read aloud. “How strange...”
There was an intermissions about half way through the play. Afterwords the curtains arose once again. The scene showed all the 'knights' surrounding 'King Ravewind' as he was monologing to his throne. It seemed that all the knights were actually the schools jocks. Their outfits were quite detailed, but what was strange was that they all had rather odd looking masks on. Each one was dark green almost black and had a ruby red gem between their eyes. Ravewind's monolog wasn't too long and eventually ended with Ravewind shouting out. “Where be my queen?!”
As Ravewind shouted this a massive green puff of smoke suddenly appeared and consumed the throne. Ravewind and all the jocks took several steps back. Twilight was surprised at how well they imitated shock, it was as if the smoke wasn't planned.
To everyone's surprise it wasn't Chroma Sketch who walked out of the smoke. It was Counciler Christina Liss. With ACE right behind her.
Christina walked out on stage in a midnight black dress like the one she had on before. Only this one was a bit more ragged and the bottom appeared to be very warn. She was also wearing long black gloves that ran up the length of her arms. These appeared torn up and full of holes. ACE had on a black hoodie and black slacks, like Liss, both were full of holes.
“Miss Liss?” Ravewind asked startled. “What are you doing here? Where's Chroma Sketch?”
“I'm afraid there's been a change of plans my dear. The kingdom I'm after isn't the kingdom of Arabia. It's the kingdom right here in this school!”
“I don't understand. What do you mean?!” Ravewind asked starting to get a bit concerned.
“You wouldn't understand even if I told you fool!” Liss shouted out suddenly. “None of you have any idea what you represent, but I do, and with my new army of 'knights.' I will see my plans come to fruition. AT LONG LAST CANTERLOT IS MINE!”
Christina Liss thrust out her hands towards the jocks. Malicious green energy radiated from them and bolts of green lightning bounced from jock to jock. The gems on their fore heads began to glow, and each jock began to snarl, growl and hiss.
“It can't be!” Twilight did a double take and rubbed her eyes. She had to be dreaming, but this was no dream.
As the jocks slumped off stage Christina Liss laughed manically. A vicious green flame washed over her body as her skin turned dark green. Her ears elongated, and a sickly black horn formed out of her forehead and insect wings from her back. She landed at the front most part of the stage with an all too familiar giggle. As she did Twilight raced forward to confront her.
“It is you!” Twilight shouted. “Queen Chrysalis!”