For the next few days, the pairs have been working to make their scripts as perfect as possible. As days pass, Vinyl becomes even more nervous. Eventually, it was the day before the competition, and Vinyl had an announcement to make, ‘Listen up, everypony! Tomorrow is the big day! We will meet here at the same time for a rehearsal. You all need to polish your raps for tomorrow’
‘Why do we need a rehearsal?’ asks Rainbow Dash, ‘Isn’t it a competition? Why should we let the other pairs know what they are up against?’
‘First of all, it is also a performance. And second, why does it matter if they see it? They are going to have planned theirs entirely by then.’
For the rest of the session, the pairs worked to polish their raps. Once time was up, Vinyl announced, ‘That’s it everypony! This was the last session before the big day! First, give yourselves a round of applause!’ Applause roared across the stage. Everypony felt proud of what they have done so far. ‘Now, tomorrow, we will all meet right here at noon for the rehearsal I mentioned. See all of you then!’
The rest of the day was a drag for Vinyl as she tried to find some way to distract herself from how both excited and nervous she was for tomorrow. She tried scratching records, but she couldn’t concentrate. She tried listening to music, but gave up after not being able to decide what to listen to. She even tried reading a book, but realized that reading got her no where. Eventually, the lunar light shone and Vinyl declared it to be bed time, even though it was only 8:30. She lied in bed, awake, trying desperately to fall asleep. Eventually, she finally drifted.
The next day, Vinyl wakes up, wondering what happened to her alarm. She looks at the clock, which read 10:20. Her eyes fling open. ‘Oh no! I woke up late!’ She races out of bed and gets ready. She runs to Sugarcube Corner for a much needed sugar dose.
‘Mr.Cake! I need two chocolate donuts to go!’ Vinyl says as if getting her donuts was life or death,
Startled, Mr.Cake packs her donus, Vinyl pays for them and runs out before Mr.Cake could say something. As she runs, she levitates her donuts with her horn and munches on them on her hurried way to the amphitheater.
She gets there just as the other ponies do. She gets on stage and calls out to everypony. ‘Hello! Who is ready for the rehearsal?’ she says as enthusiastically as possible. However, she is met by blank expressions. ‘What is wrong?’
Rarity comes on stage, clears her throat, takes out a mirror out of her saddlebag and positions it in front of Vinyl. ‘Darling, your mane looks like a porcupine made a nest in it.’
Vinyl looks in horror at her reflection as she sees that Rarity’s analysis was pretty accurate. She realizes that she doesn’t recall brushing her mane. Rarity offers her a brush, and she fixes her first problem of the day. ‘Now that that is over, who is ready for rehearsal!?’
All the ponies gather on stage as Vinyl explains them what exactly this will happen. ‘I will call you on the stage in this order: Rarity and Trixie; Rainbow Dash and Big Macintosh; Twilight Sparkle and Zecora; Applejack and Pinkie Pie. When I do, you will enter the stage from the sides, one on each, and begin. Does everypony understand?’ Everypony nods.
Vinyl goes to the edge of the stage and introduces herself to the empty seats. She then calls upon the first pair: Rarity and Trixie. The two mares finish their rap and exit the stage at each other’s sides. Next up was Rainbow Dash and Big Macintosh, Followed by Twilight Sparkle and Zecora, and finishing with Applejack and Pinkie Pie. As they all finish their raps, they all come of the center of the stage and take a bow for the invisible audience.
‘That’s a wrap! Great job everypony! Now all of you can go home and get some rest. I want to see you here half an hour before sunset!’ Everypony leaves and heads home for the time being.
‘Looking good, Vinyl! says a voice behind her. She turns and sees Octavia once again.
‘You think?’
‘I am quite excited for sunset!’
‘Me too!’ Vinyl says with a sigh.