//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: The Unlucky Streak // Story: Wish Makers // by Short Stories //------------------------------// "Good morning Canterlot High, and welcome to the first ever Friendship Games!" Principal Celestia announced into the microphone, her sister standing on the stage next to her. "We're heading over to Crystal Prep in a half hour, and we are going to WIN!" The entire student body cheered yet again, with as much enthusiasm as a hundred Pinkie Pies. A half hour later, five buses were lined up outside of Canterlot High, each holding their portion of the students that attended. The insufferable racket could be heard all the way from Equestria... and the portal wasn't even open! Some of the students, out of excitement, started rocking the bus or jumping up and down, making it look like the buses were clumsily dancing on their wheels. The students were restless, filled with anticipation, and just in general-- excited. It was almost like the last day of the school year, the only difference being the fact that it wasn’t. The student’s excitement could be explained in part because of the fact that it was the final week of school, and partly because they all had a certain feeling... A feeling that they were going to CRUSH their competition. However, three days later, the five buses weren't dancing, being surprisingly stalk silent. Everyone had their head down, and some girls were even crying. They had lost, to Crystal Prep. "Aww, come on!" Rainbow Dash cried, standing  up in her seat; she was only a Freshman, but she was a Freshman with courage and determination. "We could do better than that, guys! We almost won that last game! Rarity!" At this, a pale girl with curly purple hair looked up across the bus at the polychromatic-haired freshman. "Why didn't you swim that extra lap?! We could have gone home with at least one trophy!" Rarity rolled her eyes and crossed her arms with an accompanying frown. "Rainbow, darling, do you really expect me to get my hair wet?" Rainbow's mouth hung open, her eyes almost comically bulging out of their sockets. She finally regained her composure and marched over to where her friend sat. The whole bus simultaneously  ‘ooo’'d, sensing the impending dish that Rainbow was about to hand to Rarity. Unfortunately at that moment, the bus flew over a speed bump,  causing Rainbow to trip and send her flying to the back of the bus... Where Rarity was. The cyan-skinned freshman picked herself up, dusted herself off, and looked forward. Every student on the bus was staring at her. She could see Pinkie and Applejack among the faces; Fluttershy must’ve been on another bus...or she was choosing not to look. "I totally meant to do that." Rainbow said, waving her hand like it was nothing, then took a seat next to Rarity. "You didn't want to get your hair wet, huh?" She loudly whispered, "yet, you agreed to do the swimming competition?!" Rarity scoffed. "The water was filthy. And I don't care if it’s chlorinated, the chlorine ruins my hair. I only jumped in because you threw my fashion ideas into the water." She shot Rainbow a death stare. "I made copies!" "Let me see them, then." Rainbow scratched behind her head, wearing a sheepish smile. "They’re... at my house." Rarity gave her a pointed look. "Just...why did you suddenly freak out and climb out of the pool? You had that weird hair-bag over your head, right? Didn’t that keep your hair dry? Why did you suddenly freak out and climb out of the pool?" "It's not weird!" She complained. "It makes sure my hair stays dry while I'm in the pool, but it was slipping off and water was getting in! And secondly, a lady does not ‘freak out’. That is very uncouth. I simply observed that my complexion was at risk, and I simply had to do something about it. My newly-styled hair was at risk to all that…” She shuddered, “...chlorinated water....” Rainbow put up a hand, telling her to stop.  "I get it! I get it!" She said. Rainbow looked out the window.  "Maybe we'll do better next year..." "..But we never won! We got worse, actually! Every year we lost to that stupid, snoody school!" An older, 12th grade Rainbow shouted into the faces of Rarity and Sunset, anger consuming her as she threw the napkin she was holding through the air. They stared at her with shock, not expecting a sudden outburst. Rainbow closed her eyes, and took a long, deep breath.  "Sorry..." She mumbled, sitting back down on her seat. Rarity sighed before speaking.. "It’s… fine, darling. We know how… competitive you can be with these games.” They were sitting in Rarity's boutique, eating frozen yogurt. "I’m not really looking forward to them either." “I’m going to need you girl’s help. Sunset explained, putting her Fro-Yo cup down. "I was thinking that some lucky charm or wish catcher or something would help our unlucky streak. We could sell them before the games!" Rainbow gave Sunset a dubious look. “Annnnd how exactly are those supposed to help?” “Simple…” Sunset  trailed off into thought. What should we call them? ‘Dream Boats’? Nah. ‘Lucky Dreamstyle’? Eugh, that one’s terrible. How did I even come up with that? Must’ve been that new k-pop song that everyone’s listening to... A cyan hand moved in front of Sunset’s face and snapped it’s fingers. “Hello? Anyone home?” Wait, I haven’t even decided what we’re going to make. It could just be a normal wish catcher or lucky charm… Nah. Too plain. It needs to be special. Maybe a wish catcher with a four leaf clover on it? That sounds lucky. Or… maybe a lucky charm in the shape of a Leprechaun? Nah, that’ll probably offend some Irishman. Yes! We’ll make a combination of a wish catcher and lucky charm! I still haven’t got a name, though... “SUNSET!” Rarity and Rainbow both shouted in an attempt to stir her from her psychosis-level daydream.  “...I know! We’ll call them ‘Wish Makers’!” Sunset looked amazingly pleased with herself. Rainbow gave sunset a blank stare. “Call what, what?”