//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Twas The Night Before The Games // Story: Equestria Girls 3: The Friendship Games // by EmeraldSkies //------------------------------// Twas the night before the games, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The sleeping bags were laid in the room with care, in hopes that Canterlot High would win with flair. "Pinkie, would you please stop narrating everything?" Rainbow Dash said, reaching over to the popcorn bowl which Sunset was holding. The girls had arranged a sleepover at Pinkie Pie's house again to await the Friendship Games which stared tomorrow. They had planned for the event well, with quite a lot of kids signing up for it. But there was something missing. The participants were there, the events were there, but not the enthusiasm. You couldn't blame them though. Nine years of the games had happened, and Crystal Prep had won each time. This left very little for Canterlot High to be excited and enthusiastic about. But, the girls had made it their mission to get the school involved and excited "I think it's a lost cause, she's been going on for what feels like an hour now," Sunset said, just before stopping Rainbow Dash from taking more popcorn from her. "This is my popcorn. You can go and make your own." "Ooh, sorry. But I'm just really, really excited!" Pinkie said, almost bouncing out of her bed. "I just really think we have a chance at it this year." "Well that doesn't mean that you have to bug us all. You're actin' as crazy as a loon," Applejack said, waving her hands around to exaggerate how wild Pinkie Pie seemed to be tonight. "Personally dear, I think you've gotten into the whipped cream stash again." Rarity laughed, getting a little giggle from the rest of the group. "But please, hopefully not." Pinkie Pie lay on the bed, fast asleep, while the girls were watching her to see if this was all over. She had eaten way too much whipped cream, got a sugar rush, and had just passed out. In her sugar high, she had managed to destroy an admirable amount of the room, running around and singing. Maud Pie, Pinkie's sister, who usually rocked at these kind of things, couldn't even manage to calm Pinkie Pie down from her craziness. And now that it was all over, the girls were left with a destroyed room, a completely passed out Pinkie laying on the bed, and a funny story to probably remember at sleepovers later. "Um, do you think she's going to be okay?" Fluttershy asked, breaking the silence. "I think so," said Sunset, still wondering if Pinkie would all of a sudden get up again. "Though I swear, if this ever happens again.." Everyone laughed at the memory of that new years eve sleepover. It was a complete disaster, yet still fun in a weird way. "Or, she's been eating raw sugar packets again," Rainbow Dash said, joking and completely oblivious to what Pinkie Pie was actually doing right behind her. Pinkie Pie looked up in-between opening up another sugar pack to eat. Guiltily, she stopped eating it and hid it under the pillow, trying to hide what she was doing. "Hey, no fair," she frowned. "Well, if you don't mind me asking that is, can we watch a movie? There's been this one that I really wanted to see for a while now." Fluttershy said, going to turn on the TV. "Sure, I'm up for a good movie," Said Rainbow, adjusting herself so she could be more comfortable. "So, how about an adventure movie? I heard the new Daring Do one is pretty awesome. I mean, I've only seen it like ten times." "Actually Rainbow, how about we watch a romance movie?" Suggested Rarity, not wanting to watch Rainbow Dash obsess over her idol, Daring Do, for two hours. "Or a comedy." Sunset added. "Ah know, how about a western film? About apples!" "Ooh, maybe I can find an adventure-romance-comedy-western-apples movie?" "Um well, actually, I was thinking that we could watch a horror movie?" Fluttershy asked, soon seeing the very shocked expressions on her friends faces. "What?" "Sorry Flutters, we just didn't think of ya as a, uhm, horror movie person," Applejack said, trying hard to imagine Fluttershy watching a horror movie, which seemed impossible for the shy girl. While doing this, Applejack was unaware that something was lurking in the shadows behind her waiting to pounce. That thing being Pinkie Pie, trying to see if she could get a good scare out of any of the girls. She made her jump, but failed horribly and slipped on a makeover kit that Rarity had out, covering her face in various types of cosmetics. Rarity gasped as soon as he saw the makeup kit land on Pinkie Pie, and immediately tried to salvage what was left of the thing, but to no avail. "Pinkie Pie, I swear I will get you for this! But first," Rarity fainted on a couch. The same fainting couch that seemed to always appear whenever she needed it. "Uh, hehe?" Pinkie laughed as the girls, minus Rarity who was still laying down, were trying to help her get back up. Sunset Shimmer face palmed at her friend, who seemed to always get into crazy troubles like this whenever she was around. She couldn't help but laugh a bit too, before sending her to get all of the stuff off of her face. While she, Applejack and Fluttershy tried to calm down a now traumatized and fainted Rarity. "Jeez Pinkie, can you try to have just one sleepover where you don't do something crazy and fall down?" Rainbow Dash said, leading Pinkie Pie to the bathroom to get her face washed from all the makeup. When they got inside the washroom, Pinkie laughed. "Wow, I kind of look like a clown!" Said Pinkie, examining her face in the mirror. "Just maybe, that's because you are one," said Rainbow, before she realized Pinkie Pie was now giving her a frown. She immediately threw her hands up in defense. "I'm sorry! Just uh-" "No its okay Dashie, I'm not mad at you," Pinkie said in her usual cheery voice, just before turning serious. "Or am I?" Then she turned back to happy. "Sometimes I don't even know! Hehe." After a few minutes, Rainbow and Pinkie had managed to get most of the makeup off of Pinkie Pie's face, save for a bit on her cheek, which she had said was too ticklish to remove. During this time, Applejack, Sunset and Fluttershy got Rarity to calm down. Fluttershy, being most effective at this, reminding her that she had plenty of other makeup and that she could buy her a new one if she had really wanted to. The girls were now settling down and getting ready to go to sleep, at least as much sleep as one could have at a sleepover party. Sunset and Pinkie had seemed to be discussing something in the corner, and soon enough, one of them spoke up. "All right everyone, listen up!" Said Sunset, loud so they could all hear. "Pinkie Pie has, more or less, convinced me that she should do a pep talk to us, to get us ready for tomorrow." Pinkie looked up, her face changing again from silly to serious. "Let's get this show on the road," she said, starting to pace back and forth in front of the girls. "We want to win this thing right?" Pinkie asked, though she looked silly because she still had that bit of makeup on. "So let me tell you something you already know. The world isn't all frosting and cupcakes. It is a very scary and mean place and I don't care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees if you let it. You, me, or nobody is going to hit as hard as life. But it isn't about how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. . It's how much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!" Finishing the end of her speech, Pinkie Pie let out something like a battle cry to prove her point. Whilst, the girls were all staring at her, motivated sure, but laughing as well. "Sometimes, I question my judgement of you Pinkie Pie. That was just, well, interesting to say the least," Sunset laughed, with the rest of the girls joining in except Applejack. "Well Pinks, ah actually think that was a very good speech if ah say so myself," Applejack said, unknown that the girls were now staring at her, almost just like Fluttershy. "Is there something ah'm missing?" "Darling, question, do you live under a rock?" Rarity said, confusing Applejack even more so than before. "She's quoting Rocky, duh?" Rainbow Dash said, trying to ring any sort of bell in Applejack's mind. "Have you never heard of that before?" Applejack stared, dumfounded, looking at everyone like she was some lost child. "Or do you limit your interests exclusively to apples?" Rainbow said, making Applejack start to boil up in anger. They starting throwing petty insults at each other, and Rarity tried to stop it, just to accidentally get herself involved in the argument. Fluttershy, who couldn't take this chaos anymore, stepped in. "Girls!" The room became silent, and everyone looked at her. "Please girls, stop arguing, it's not very kind. Besides, I am very tired and would like to go to sleep now." "*Yawn* Yeah, I think Pinkie's right, we should get to bed," Sunset Shimmer said, looking over at the alarm clock, which had already read midnight. "Yup, we're going ta need our best abilities for tomorrow," Applejack said, getting up and moving over to turn off the light. "And I will need my beauty rest for tomorrow," Rarity said, just as the lights turned off. "Goodnight everyone!" "Goodnight Rarity! And goodnight Sunny! And Applejack, and Fluttershy, and Das-" Pinkie Pie was cut off by Rainbow Dash's hand over her mouth, reminding Pinkie to be quiet. Once she was sure that everyone was sleeping, Sunset got up and went over to her bag to get the journal. It had become a nightly routine that she write to Twilight about her adventures in the day, and also because Twilight had said she would surprise them with a visit in the next couple of days. Dear Twilight, Today I had another sleepover at Pinkie Pie's house, to celebrate that the games are starting tomorrow. She really seem to like sleepovers (and parties in general) and she's an absolute maniac (especially tonight). I wonder, is your Pinkie Pie like this too? I saw in your last letter that map which you had mentioned, and wow, I didn't know that it could do that. You should probably look into it more, and see what else it can do. And you know, don't forget to tell me as well! I told the girls earlier this week that you would be coming, but I didn't tell them exactly when, so it will still be a surprise, don't worry. It's almost one in the morning now, and I have a big day today so see you tomorrow! -Sunset Shimmer