Day: Thursday
Weather: Sunny
Time: 6:30pmAfter learning that Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna had fallen under the hypnotic control of the Dazzlings, my friends and I decided that we needed Princess Twilight's help in order to break the dark magic which affected everyone. I would eventually come up with an ideal solution, one that I completely forgotten about. Long ago, I was given a magic journal which I could use to send messages to Princess Celestia. Despite not knowing whether or not it still worked, I sent a message to Her Highness, hoping that she, in turn, would send it to Princess Twilight. When it looked as though my idea wouldn't bear any fruit, Princess Twilight came through the portal along with her companion Spike, a sign that my idea succeeded. She would proceed to inform us about the true nature of the Dazzlings. According to Pinkie Pie, there would be a party that night in the gym for the bands that had signed up for the competition, the Rainbooms included. This would be our chance to stop those girls, provided that nothing went wrong.
The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
December 19, 2015
Chapter 30: Party Crashers.
" Huh? You and the others had insecurities? I mean, I know that everyone experiences those from time to time. But why would these be any more significant? I figured you were all a tight-knit, group especially with Princess Twilight now having returned." Twilight said.
" Princess Twilight would soon discover that things had changed in this world, far more than what she initially believed. Combine that with having a lot of pressure placed onto her shoulders due to being the only one who we assumed could save everyone, and she would begin doubting herself. She wasn't the only one with insecurities that threatened to destroy the Rainbooms from the inside out." I said.
" You mean yourself, too?" Twilight asked.
" At first, I was happy that she had come back, because we really did need her, but that's when I learned a painful truth. Because she had more knowledge about dealing with magic, she would be given praise for her actions by our friends. Me? I was cast aside almost immediately. They ignored me while basking in her presence. My own insecurities were beginning to manifest themselves. I chose to keep it bottled up inside rather than express my feelings. After all, I was still new to friendship, and I didn't want to become a burden. There were additional factors that would lead the band and our friendship to break down, but I'll reveal those to you as we go along." I answered. I suppose it was my own fault for not wanting to reveal my personal problems. Had I been stronger with my resolve instead of fearing it, I could have seen things for what they were about to become long before they happened.
" Did you... have any animosity towards Princess Twilight?" Twilight asked. Her question shook me to the core. I then began to think back on that moment when she returned to this world after receiving my message. My friends treated her like the princess she was and acted as though I didn't exist anymore. Had I possessed just as much knowledge as she did regarding the Sirens, I would have been given all of that praise, not her. Just seeing them hover around her like she was the greatest thing in the world filled my heart with anger. Yet, I chose to repress such feelings because it wasn't my place. My place... My status among the group had always been in doubt during those times. I'm thankful that it all worked out in the end, but it still does bother me at times. Twilight then noticed my angry expression and immediately started feeling concerned that I was going to do something I'd regret. " Sunset? Did I say something I shouldn't have?" Twilight asked.
" No." I answered.
" You don't need to answer my question if it bothers you." Twilight said.
" It's okay. I actually want to answer it, because it will allow me to get some personal issues off of my chest. I won't deny the fact that I did feel animosity towards her as she came in and swept our friends away from me. I'm not blaming her for that. We were all desperate, and our friends were looking for someone to save everyone. I wasn't that someone! I mean, I could have been, but my lack of knowledge condemned me. Princess Twilight was their beacon of hope, and I felt jealous towards her. There were even moments where I wanted to throttle her because she had taken our friends away from me. Had I gone down that path, I would have shattered any hope of proving that I had changed." I said.
" Sunset..." Twilight said.
" I don't have those feelings towards Princess Twilight anymore. She has since become a valued friend who has taken me under her wing. Whenever I have problems I can't figure out, I turn to her for guidance, just like how I used to with Princess Celestia back when I was her student." I said. I hoped that Twilight didn't think it odd that someone of my age would have a mentor who was the same age as I was. Then again, what most people don't know is that I'm actually a few years older than Her Highness, despite how we both appear to be the same age. Long have I assumed that when I left Equestria and came to this world, my body regressed in age while my mind remained the same. Do I have actual proof of such a thing? No, not really. It's merely an assumption, although it doesn't explain how Princess Twilight wasn't affected in a similar manner.
" She's like your big sister. No, that's not right. You're both the same age, after all. She would be your twin sister." Twilight said.
" That sounds like a good analysis to me." I said.
" Are you hiding something again?" Twilight asked.
" It's just that Princess Twilight would be the younger sister; I'm a few years older than she. I don't understand how my body got younger when I came here, and even now, I still haven't come up with an answer for it. So, it's for the best not to focus on that subject anymore." I answered. Twilight's reaction to my actual age was exactly what I was expecting from her: Eyes widened in shock and jaw dropped for added effect. I couldn't help but chuckle at the look on her face at this revelation. " Anyway, let's get back to what happened next. Princess Twilight had returned along with Spike."
" I still can't believe that her version of Spike is a dragon." Twilight said.
" Jealous?" I asked.
" Not in the least. I love my Spike far too much to be jealous." Twilight answered.
" Glad to hear that. Once she had gotten used to walking on two legs again, she would reveal to us the true nature of the Sirens. My initial suspicions only covered part of the truth about them, and Princess Twilight would reveal the rest." I said.
Princess Twilight had returned to this world for the first time since the Fall Formal, and my friends and I couldn't be more ecstatic about it. The Dazzlings' actions, both with the students and faculty, had us desperate. With Her Highness around, we believed that we now stood a chance at saving everyone from their terrible fate and preventing the Dazzlings from succeeding. I will admit that I felt sad when Princess Twilight hesitated when I offered to help her up. She must have still had some leftover animosity towards me because of what I had done to her during the Fall Formal. Would she believe that I had changed? Maybe. When she finally accepted my hand, my friends immediately surrounded her, ignoring me in the process. I suppose that was fair, considering they became friends with her first. Once Princess Twilight had gotten used to walking on two legs again, she gave us a dire warning about the Dazzlings. My initial assumptions were about to become a reality, but there was so much more.
About an hour later, we had all gathered around a table at Sugarcube Corner, a popular place where students from CHS would come to hang out. Mr. and Mrs. Cake, the owners of this establishment, always enjoyed the influx of young customers. They were surprised at how few patrons they had today and assumed that everyone was getting ready for the Musical Showcase tomorrow. None of us had the heart to tell them what was really going on. Princess Twilight then revealed that the Dazzlings were, in fact, Sirens, beautiful creatures from Equestria who fed on negative energy by hypnotizing others into being aggressive. I was on the right track about where they came from, but I had no idea that they were members of a near-extinct tribe. She continued on by saying that the Sirens were banished to this world long ago in the hopes they wouldn't cause further problems, yet something caused them to become active after so long.
She then mentioned the message that I had sent to her through the magic journal. Upon receiving it, Princess Twilight had explained to the pony versions of my friends what was happening here and built her own portal, knowing that it would take far too long for the regular portal to open. She used Princess Celestia's magic journal as a power source. She even mentioned how the pony version of Pinkie Pie was able to explain her equations to her friends, chuckling a bit as she recalled it. Upon finishing her lengthy explanation, it took us a few moments to let it all sink in. The conversation had gotten rather discouraging because of the threat to the world, so we decided to change the subject in order to lighten the mood.
" You probably wanted to come back under less dire circumstances." Rarity said.
" That would have been nice, but Sunset Shimmer's message was too big for me to ignore. I'm just glad that I was able to come back using my own portal." Princess Twilight said.
" There's so much catching up to do. Why don't we start with Sunset Shimmer, since you did just mention her." Rarity said, her attention turning towards me. I actually assumed she would explain on my behalf, yet I should have realized that she wanted me to talk about my own experiences. No reason for someone else to explain what could easily be done by oneself.
" Where do I even start?" I began, leading on to tell Princess Twilight what had happened to me since she left. I made sure not to leave out any details, as I assumed she wanted to hear everything. The only thing I left out were the moments when I broke down mentally. There was no need to make the despair that surrounded us even worse than it already was. I explained how I had to repair the front entrance of the school, being bullied by the other students out of retribution for how I treated them in the past, and trying my best to prove that I had reformed. " It hasn't been easy since the Fall Formal. I know that I caused a lot of pain to so many people, and not a day goes by that I regret what I did in the name of wanting power. The majority of the student body refuses to believe that I've changed, but I know they will come around when the time comes." I said.
" Sounds to me that you're starting to learn the fundamentals of friendship." Princess Twilight said.
" It's a work in progress."
" You'll get the hang of it."
" I hope so." I said, downcast. " I mean, I can take the heat now, but what if my resolve breaks? I'm afraid that I'll go back to what I was."
" Anyway... What else has been going on since I left?" Princess Twilight asked. Did she just change the subject, all because I said that? I felt several emotions racing through my heart: shock, disappointment, anger, and acceptance. I know she didn't intend on making me upset, so I didn't hold it against her. She still had some doubt in her voice about me having changed, so she didn't want to spend too much time talking about my personal problems.
" A certain blue-haired guitar player had been askin' about you." Applejack answered.
" Flash Sentry was asking about me?" Princess Twilight asked excitedly. She got so excited that she accidentally spilled her milkshake down the front of her dress. She blushed in embarrassment before using some tissues to clean herself up. Once she was finished, Her Highness calmed down. " Isn't that nice of him? Hopefully, I'll get to see him during my visit."
" What about you, darling? What have you been up to since you returned to your world?" Rarity asked.
" She's got an official title now." Spike answered. While others would be shocked to know that he was a dog in this world who could talk, my friends and I had gotten used to it. He then pretended that he was blowing on a trumpet to deliver some fanfare to make the next part sound more exciting. " The Princess of Friendship!" That's the title bestowed onto her? I wanted to laugh; compared with the titles "Princess of the Sun", "Princess of the Night", and even "Princess of Love", her title sounded pretty ridiculous. But I refrained; I didn't want to be rude. In fact, her title really suited her. Princess Twilight had proven that she knew how to make friends and make them understand friendship. After all, she was able to make me understand.
" Wow, that's really impressive. I guess you really were Princess Celestia's prized pupil. All that time, I assumed you were nothing more than my inferior replacement, but in truth, you ended up being the best thing that ever happened to her." I said.
" No need to sell yourself short." Princess Twilight said.
" You know I'm right. You went the full distance, while I came to a crashing halt." I said. Princess Twilight wasn't able to provide a response to what I said. She knew the truth was blatantly obvious. Deep down, I was slightly jealous that she achieved the dream of becoming a princess, a dream that I still desired. But I knew she deserved the position because of everything she had done. My dream will come true. It will just be that much more difficult after everything I'd done.
" She even has her own castle now. It grew up right out of the ground, thanks to a magic chest." Spike announced.
" A castle!? You have your own castle!?" Rarity exclaimed, causing Princess Twilight to spill her milkshake down her dress again. The rest of us didn't have the same kind of reaction as Rarity did, as we didn't really think too much of it. Even I didn't, especially since I spent many years studying inside of a castle. Rarity wanted to one day have a castle of her very own, just like in fairy tales. Whether or not she was serious about it remained to be seen. In any case, she had to wipe the stain from Princess Twilight's dress this time, since she was the one who caused it. Sometimes Rarity can be absent-minded when it came to wanting to be a princess. We've all tolerated it, since it was relatively harmless, but there were times where she went completely overboard. All we could do at those times was cringe.
As our little reunion continued onward, Princess Twilight was curious about what has been going on around CHS. The most obvious statement we got out of the way was the fact that the entire student body, along with Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna, had been hypnotized by the Sirens, leaving only us left. Rainbow Dash then began explaining how everyone in the group, apart from me, were able to now pony up when playing music. I didn't like how I kept on being singled out whenever anything magical comes up. I know that I lost my magic after I was defeated, yet there was no need to continue rubbing it in my face. It then occurred to me that perhaps Princess Twilight would know why I wasn't affected by the Sirens' singing. She had more magical knowledge than I did, which Rainbow brought up a couple of times, so Her Highness should be able to give me an answer. Was I beginning to feel inadequate? It was a thought that did start to cross my mind.
" Pretty sweet, huh?" Rainbow Dash asked.
" And it happens to all of you?" Princess Twilight asked.
" Except for me." I answered.
" Oh... Well, I'm sure that hasn't become a problem for you. Anyway, when I returned home to Equestria, I made sure to take the crown and the magic it possessed back with me, as this world wasn't ready for magic. It seems that some of its magic remained at Canterlot High and ended up being absorbed by all of you. Along with me, the six of us now have the means to defeat the Sirens by using the Magic of Friendship from before in order to free everyone from their control. It should work, considering we already used it on Sunset Shimmer when she transformed into that horrifyingly awful winged monster!" Princess Twilight said, where everyone turned to look at me. " No offence."
" None taken." I said, the frustration in my voice ignored. Guess that answers my question. I was feeling inadequate. Already, they were beginning to act like I didn't exist anymore, just because I no longer had magic. Those thoughts of being alone began to rear their ugly head, thoughts I was just beginning to overcome.
" We need to do this quickly before things get much worse." Princess Twilight said.
" How do we do that?" Fluttershy asked.
" First, we need to figure out where the Dazzlings are right now. For this to work, we need to use our magic in front of them." Princess Twilight answered.
" No one really knows where they go once school is done for the day." Applejack said.
" Then we'll need to start looking." Princess Twilight announced.
" I know where they'll be." Pinkie Pie announced suddenly. She then took a massive sip from her milkshake like she were in a hurry to finish it off. All she did was remind us of how big of a sweet tooth she had and how all of that sugar consumption never seemed to affect her. " There's a big party tonight in the gym for all of the bands who signed up for the showcase before it became the competition. Even with the sudden change, everyone was still registered. The Dazzlings will be there because they signed up at the last minute."
" Then we've got a party to crash." Princess Twilight said. It was fortunate that Pinkie Pie had that information. Otherwise, we could have wasted several hours looking for them. Despite the party having been held for the bands who were competing, it was open to everyone to come, according to Principal Celestia. I had a feeling it was so that the Dazzlings could obtain more negative energy. Surely, Princess Twilight had the same idea. I could have chosen to stay behind--I was questioning my place among my friends--but I chose to go with them, anyway. They needed as much support as they could get. Was that what I had now been reduced to? Support? This day was getting worse and worse by the minute ever since Princess Twilight came back.
Guess I never took her presence into account when I insisted that we needed to bring her back to help deal with the crisis at CHS. I thought she and I would be treated as equals in the eyes of our friends, but it seemed I was being shafted in favour of her. Again, I could have brought this up, but I chose not to, as I didn't want to jeopardize what little friendship I had. Everyone began to talk amongst themselves as to how they were going to use that magical rainbow that they used to defeat me with, yet I just sat there, staring into the now-empty milkshake glass. They didn't need me to be a part of the conversation, as I would contribute nothing. I felt the pain of being the only one among your clique who was truly different from the rest.
" So we now had our plan and would attend the party in order to carry it out." I said.
" Without you being a part of it." Twilight said.
" I could have been involved, but without any magic, all I could do was stand at the side and wait to see how things turned out. If there was one saving grace, it was that I didn't embarrass myself when the plan ended up not working as originally intended. I did feel bad that our friends and Princess Twilight went through all that for nothing, but a part of me was glad that it wasn't me." I said.
" The plan failed? Why?" Twilight asked.
" Princess Twilight would quickly learn that what was used to defeat me wouldn't work on anyone else in the same way." I answered.
" Is this where her insecurities started to surface?" Twilight asked.
" Our friends viewed her as being able to solve all of our problems, yet they unintentionally placed a whole lot of pressure on her shoulders. That amount of stress is very unhealthy and can lead to poor decision-making." I answered. If anyone should know what it felt like to have pressure, it was I. Before the Friendship Games had begun, I had been tasked to keep magic as far away as possible. Without any idea on how to actually handle the job, I began to stress out, which made me feel frustrated. I would even lash out at my friends because of this frustration. No doubt Twilight here had a similar problem what with how she was treated at Crystal Prep. She had to contribute to her teams' success, which meant not failing, under any circumstances. You couldn't ask for more stress than that.
" Why would they do that to her?" Twilight asked.
" Like I said, she was seen as our saving grace." I answered.
" It must have been awful." Twilight said.
" You and I have been in that position ourselves." I said. Twilight nodded in agreement. She knew that Principal Cinch and the Shadowbolts had given her a lot of pressure to ensure Crystal Prep would prevail in the games. Even when she lived up to their expectations, they still continued to pressure her. In a way, her transformation into a demon allowed her to release all of that stress, yet two worlds almost paid the price for it. Some people handle stress better than others.
" This party... All of the bands would be in attendance?" Twilight asked.
" Every band that had registered prior to when the showcase was replaced with the Battle of the Bands were invited to have fun along with other students who simply wanted to have a good time. At least, that's what Principal Celestia insisted when she made that announcement over the P.A. system before school ended that day. In truth, the Sirens needed as many students as possible to continue feeding off of." I answered.
" Was it fun?" Twilight asked.
" It was anything but that. All everyone did was argue." I answered. Boy, did that experience become a disaster real quickly, especially when the Sirens decided to take advantage of the situation after our friends failed attempt to carry out the plan. They knew exactly when to push people's buttons to cause them to release their negativity, which the Sirens eagerly absorbed. " Well, it did start out somewhat peacefully when students started showing up, but tensions flared almost immediately when someone just had to say something." I said. That someone happened to be Flash Sentry. Before being affected by the Sirens' dark magic, he was shy and clumsy, but their magic had turned him into a bully who desired to win, no matter what he had to do. He reminded me of who I used to be, only worse.
" Here! Let me turn the page." Twilight said. My hand was still injured from what I did to it earlier, yet even though I had my other hand, Twilight was insistent that she turned the page on my behalf. I chose not to argue with her, so when she grabbed the edge of the page and turned it over, her face lightened up at what was present. " Another photo, yet this one looks much more pleasant than the other ones were." I looked down at the photo and cringed. This was the exact moment when Princess Twilight and our friends were about to attempt to use the Magic of Friendship to defeat the Sirens. If I recall correctly, Photo Finish took the picture and gave me a copy later on as a reminder of what happened. " This must be when they would unleash the Magic of Friendship, right?" Twilight asked.
" Photo Finish really captured the moment, as about three seconds later, it would all go horribly wrong." I answered.
That night, the different bands came to gym to partake in the party that had been arranged for them. Normally, Pinkie Pie would be in charge of organizing an event like this, with the Princess of the Fall Formal shaping how certain things would go to suit her tastes. In this case, the Dazzlings had organized everything and had no need of a princess flaunting about her opinions. We didn't suspect anything was wrong with this arrangement, so we decided to go, especially because those girls had to be stopped. The idea to stay behind floated through my head again, as I wasn't a band member and would only be getting in the way, but I stuck to my guns and came along for support. I did have to give the Sirens credit for being creative and inviting with their choice of decorations. They also insisted that we wore casual clothing rather than anything fancy. It made sense, as it was just a party, although Rarity would have complained if not for the fact that we had to remain focused on the task at hand.
At first, things were progressing smoothly, although there was tension all around, students looking at one another with distrust. This suddenly changed due to an altercation between Flash Sentry and a small group of students. It felt so strange seeing him acting like a complete jerk; he was usually friendly and easy to get along with. I guess the dark magic of the Dazzlings really did bring out the worst in those their power affected. Rather than remain close together, Princess Twilight recommended that we split up in order to see if we could find any sign of the Dazzlings. Everyone began to mingle about, making sure not to incite any problems, yet I chose to hang around by the tables. Looking over to my right, Flash had since moved onward from the group he had argued with, and was now arguing with Snips. I couldn't tell what they were talking about as they were too far away, but he didn't speak for very long, as he ended up walking into Princess Twilight.
Those two were just like magnets! No matter the situation, they were always attracted to one another. I had no idea what they were talking about, as they were too far away for me to hear, but I chose not to interfere with their moment. I didn't want to give off the impression that I was still interested in Flash, which wasn't the case at all. Hopefully, he wouldn't act too aggressively towards Princess Twilight.
Turning to my right, I saw that the Dazzlings had just entered the gym. I was surprised that no one gave them a standing ovation. They did make all of this possible, after all. I could have warned the others about their presence, but I decided to see if I could listen in on their conversation without drawing any attention to myself. Walking forward casually until I stopped at a table that had a giant bowl of fruit punch on it, I began to listen to what they were saying. Since I couldn't get too close, some things they said didn't reach my ears.
" It's the fruit punch, isn't it?" Sonata asked.
" What does that have to do with anything?" Adagio asked.
" I knew I used too much grape juice!"
" Unbelievable! Sometimes, I wonder why we bother keeping you around." Adagio moaned, slapping her forehead.
" Because you need me to bring a sunny outlook into your life."
" I wouldn't go that far..." Aria began.
" What do you mean?" Sonata asked.
" If anything, you're more annoying than cute, and we put up with you because all three of us have to sing together for our magic to work. If that weren't the case, Adagio and I would have gotten rid of you a long time ago. Besides, the punch is awful, too." Aria answered.
" Oh yeah? What do you know about good fruit punch?"
" Wow. Didn't you even notice that I insulted you?"
" Wait, you did?" Sonata asked.
" Yes! Also, I know how to make fruit punch better than you." Aria answered. The two girls butted heads, baring their teeth again. I couldn't believe that they were arguing over fruit punch, of all things. Were they aware that I was listening in on their conversation? Or were they really that concerned with the beverage they chose to serve for their party? Either way, I chose to continue listening, although at that point I became distracted when Rainbow Dash called me over. Turning back to face the Dazzlings, Adagio had broken up their little quarrel and appeared to be scolding them. Despite what they've done to everyone, I still felt pity for Adagio having to deal with her companions whenever they got out of line. She must have had quite the level of tolerance to keep herself from throttling them both, as they must have tested her patience countless times.
When I reached Rainbow Dash, she picked up a chocolate chip cookie from a nearby plate and tossed it at Princess Twilight. It landed in her hair. The gentle impact was enough to make her turn around. Rainbow Dash then nodded her head to the left to indicate that the Dazzlings were over there, and Twilight said something to Flash before coming over here. He merely walked away without a care in the world. While I should have backed up the rest of my friends with what they were about to do, I instead stayed back, as I wouldn't have contributed much anyway. I didn't want to be singled out anymore that I already had, since the student body still treated me badly. Since I had gotten closer to the Dazzlings again, I was able to listen in on their conversation again, yet I wished I could have heard the part I missed when Rainbow Dash called me over.
" This is just the kickoff party, girls. Imagine what a tizzy they'll be in by the time the Battle of the Bands starts." Adagio said.
" Hopefully, this will work out! I'd rather not go back to our usual meals." Aria said.
" Everything is going exactly as planned. What could go wrong?" Adagio asked.
" It's how we got banished here in the first place." Aria answered.
" This isn't like what happened when that infuriating Star Swirl interfered with our plans. No one so far has been able to stand up to our magic, and I doubt anyone ever will. Look at them all! They're too fixated on winning to stand in our way. The Battle of the Bands is sure to give us what we truly need."
" There isn't going to be a Battle of the Bands!" a voice shouted.
" Excuse me!?" Adagio exclaimed, turning around to see Princess Twilight and the rest of my friends standing there.
" We're gonna make sure of that! Alright, girls, let's do this!" Princess Twilight announced. This was it! This was where they would use the same magical rainbow that they used to defeat me. But, something didn't feel quite right. As I recall from before, they had pony ears and pony tails prior to creating that rainbow. They have neither of those right now. Did that mean it wasn't going to work? I had no idea what would happen, as the magic used against me was unlike anything I had seen before. Princess Twilight and the others joined hands, making everyone in the vicinity stare at them, and then they made their move.
" Friendship is magic!!!!"
Nothing. Nothing happened. My friends were simply standing there in the middle of the gym, holding hands, nothing else happening. It was the perfect definition of 'awkward'. Everyone else just stared at what had transpired, and there were even a few coughs among the absolute silence. It looked as though my assumption was correct. It didn't work! It wasn't just because they hadn't gotten their ears and tails; they weren't giving off any magical energies at all!
" What's going on?" Rainbow Dash asked.
" It's working, right?" Princess Twilight asked, eyes closed.
" If it was, I don't think those girls would still be standing. Besides, weren't there rainbows and lasers and stuff last time?" Rainbow Dash asked.
" What!?" Princess Twilight answered. She opened her eyes to see that nothing had changed. Everyone was still looking at them, wondering what in the world had just happened. Even the Dazzlings were confused by all this. Princess Twilight then turned to face me, and I all I could in response was shrug my shoulders. There wasn't anything I could do; I had no magic. " I don't understand. All six of us are together now like before, so why isn't this working? It should have worked! Why isn't it? What's going on?" Spike then whispered something to Princess Twilight, and she whispered a response, but I couldn't hear what they were saying.
" Isn't this interesting!" Adagio announced.
" What is?"
" These girls!"
" What's so interesting about them? All they did was humiliate themselves in front of the entire school. If anything, the only thing interesting about them is how everyone is going to mock them everywhere they go." Aria said.
" That's not what I was getting at. They've thrown down the gauntlet. This group is obviously serious about winning, seeing as they went ahead and did this little display for everyone without a care in the world. In their eyes, only they matter, while the rest of us don't even hold a candle to them. Cocky, aren't they? They're even going so far as to say there won't really be a battle! Seems they think they've already got this thing all locked up! I'm sure everyone here has something to say about that, right? Let them know how you all really feel about such a preposterous claim!" Adagio said. Her words prompted everyone else to start arguing and claiming that their band was the best. This resulted in negative energy being released, and the Dazzlings absorbed it into their pendants.
We would have tried to alert everyone to what those girls were doing, but it would have been a waste of effort. They were so fixated on winning that they had become blind to everything else around them. Knowing that things were about to become more intense, we decided to leave the gym through a side door. What we didn't know was that we had exposed ourselves to the Dazzlings, allowing them to learn something vital.
As the side door closed behind us and we made our way to the front entrance to regroup, the sounds of arguing students continued to ring in our ears. Princess Twilight's plan had been a bust, but why didn't their magic work? Did they really need to pony up in order to use it? If that were the case, things were only going to get even worse from here.
" I've got to give Princess Twilight credit for wanting to go with the direct approach, but maybe she should have planned it out better. But, I guess you were running on borrowed time, since the competition was starting the next day, so you had little time to come up with a strategy." Twilight said.
" If things had gone exactly as planned, the students would have been freed from their hypnotic state, and the Sirens would have been defeated. Fate had other plans, though. Princess Twilight and our friends were humiliated, but they didn't allow it to dampen their spirits. Okay, Her Highness did freak out a little, but you couldn't blame her for feeling that way." I said.
" The Sirens figured out you were the ones who possessed Equestrian magic?" Twilight asked.
" It dawned on them when everyone became angry and released their negative energy. The seven of us were the only ones who didn't display any animosity, so they knew we had what they were looking for. From there, they would plan an intricate scheme that would cause the Rainbooms to fall apart due to in-fighting brought about by ridiculous reasons." I answered. Thinking back on it, the bickering actually started shortly after the band came together. Rainbow Dash desired to enter the Musical Showcase as a means of showing how awesome her guitar playing was, and the others had their own reasons for joining, only one or two actually having to be convinced by Rainbow Dash. What started out as something fun quickly became nightmarish when the first petty argument started.
Rainbow Dash considered the Rainbooms to be her band since she was the one who came up with the idea. Applejack would remind her that it was the whole group's band. It didn't seem that bad at the time; Rainbow Dash was simply letting her head swell up, and Applejack helped rein it in. But, the problems would soon grow, followed by the emotional turmoil. I should have said something sooner, but I was a novice of friendship. Anything I might have said would probably have not been taken into consideration, and worse yet, my friends would have criticized me for not understanding the group dynamic.
" Thinking again?" Twilight asked.
" I can't put anything past you." I answered.
" Be honest with me. The Sirens' plan to cause internal bickering was overall unnecessary, wasn't it?" Twilight asked.
" What do you mean?" I asked.
" They wanted to absorb the Equestrian magic our friends had, so they needed them to become mired in discord. Yet, they didn't do much of anything did they? It was our friends who caused their own collapse." Twilight answered.
" You guess correctly." I said.
" It makes sense it happened like that. For the Sirens to have made you fight, it would have meant getting their hands dirty. So they chose to have our friends band implode through a combination of their own bickering, maybe using other students to cause more strife." Twilight said. I was surprised at how she figured all that out. Then again, she had probably seen that sort of thing first-hand at Crystal Prep. The Sirens did choose to use other students to do their dirty work, and all they needed to do was say the right words. Anyone could be manipulated easily by choosing words appropriately. " Your expression tells me that I was right. I'm not trying to brag or anything, Sunset, but it does sound like a rather pointless plan." Twilight said.
" They should have just taken the magic there and then." I said.
" Precisely! Why go through all of that drama when it was right there for the taking?" Twilight asked.
" Like I said before, their plan wasn't exactly the most well-thought-out, yet they were able to get results, which is what mattered to them. Anyway, once we had left the gym after Adagio made her speech, we had to come up with another plan. For Princess Twilight, it meant being part of the solution. For me, it meant being cast aside and ignored like I never existed." I answered.