//------------------------------// // Chapter 58: Emergency Text // Story: The Other Journal // by Ganondorf8 //------------------------------// Day: Tuesday Weather: Mild Time: 4:00pm I didn't think trying out for the Wondercolts would be so embarrassing, but it was, thanks to Pinkie Pie. Because I had the unfortunate pleasure of going first, I didn't have adequate time to prepare a routine to impress Vice Principal Luna. Pinkie gave me a bodysuit and some dumbbells to show how dexterous I was, and while my routine was good, I wish it didn't involve dressing both suggestively and weirdly. In the end, I suppose making the team was all that mattered. Two weeks remained until the Games began, but something still bothered me. I had to see Princess Twilight. I knew she was busy preparing for her presentation, but I needed her guidance now more than ever. However, our friends had to be kept in the dark, a thought which hurt me. I wanted this to just be between the two of us. Two days before the Games, I learned that Rainbow Dash overexaggerates. The Other Journal By Ganondorf8 February 26, 2016 Chapter 58: Emergency Text. Twilight should have known that this was coming. The events of the Friendship Games were written down in my journal. Despite how recent those events were--it had been a couple of weeks--they proved pivotal to how I understood this world. My numerous encounters with her left me with mixed feelings that even now continue confusing me. On the one hand, she was the human version of the one who gave me a second chance. On the other, she almost destroyed everything in an attempt to understand magic. In this journal, I wrote down my opinions of Twilight, just like I had done with everyone else who I've interacted with since first coming here. She was no exception. I assumed she thought things had come to an end once we reached the day before the Games, but if so, she was wrong. I had other thoughts going through my mind other than her. Thoughts that no one knew about, because I kept them close to my heart. The magic problem continued to plague me with every passing moment, coupled with Twilight existing in this world without ever knowing until the Friendship Games. I also had a longing to finally go back home after being away from it for so long. I didn't care about whether or not I would be punished for my crimes. I wanted to go back to Equestria. The magic was the driving force behind that mentality. The stress I received from trying to figure out the magic of this world worked really affected my attitude. My anger constantly rose whenever I couldn't find answers, and I lost my temper a lot. I yelled at and insulted everyone around me, it got so bad. Princess Twilight was the one person who knew me better than anyone. Her words often relieved me of stress, especially when she told me in her responses that she had experienced something similar. I wished she had come to this world during the Friendship Games, not getting caught up in her own problem. I had no problem figuring out how to deal with this world's Twilight, as she became a mirror image of who I used to be. I needed Her Highness to help me answer the one question that was tearing me apart: Do I remain here, or do I go back home to where I truly belonged? " Yes, Twilight. I did write about you." I answered, my head lowered in shame. " I should be mad about that, but I just feel indifferent. I think I just pity you." Twilight said. " Pity me?" " Considering that you wrote down your true feelings towards our friends, other people you've interacted with, and yourself, it's not surprising to know that you had true feelings about me written in it." Twilight answered. " Twilight..." " You've every right to your opinions in that journal of yours, Sunset. No one can deny you that privilege, even if they show resentment towards you for thinking of them like that behind their backs. I know I'm not going to like what's written down about me, but I've got to accept it anyway. I've heard everything else so far, so I might as well go the rest of the way." Twilight said. " I... I don't deserve a friend like you." I said. " I'm a lot tougher than I appear to be, even if I have suffered a couple of mental breakdowns." " What were your opinions of me when you first saw me?" My question appeared to have stumped Twilight, as she was taken aback slightly when I changed the subject. I had never asked her that question before, but I felt now was the time to finally address it. Twilight took off her glasses and started cleaning them with her shirt, breathing on them from time to time. I had no idea if she was stalling or thinking about what to say in response, but it was driving me crazy. " Twilight... I need an answer, now!" She then looked at me, squinting--her eyesight was pretty bad--before putting her glasses back on the bridge of her nose and sliding them back up. " I thought you were one of those popular students." Twilight said. " Seriously!?" " Oh, yes. When I entered the music room after absorbing Rarity's magic, I looked up and saw all of you, aside from her, wearing those costumes. You were in the middle of the group, and I figured that you were the leader. Given their position compared with yours, I concluded that you had quite the sphere of influence amongst them. I never did understand why you wore a welder's mask and oven mitts." Twilight answered. What I was wearing at the time was Rarity's idea. She thought the idea of me wearing a mask and mitts would help in events that involved building something using a powerful machine, or using an oven to bake something. I was never good at cooking, and the idea of using machines brought back painful memories of losing my device when Rainbow Dash's music blew it up. I was surprised that Twilight thought of me as a popular student. I know that I did a good job of remaining in the shadows while letting others take all of the glory, but I didn't take her perception into account. " I was only the 'leader' because I knew more about magic. For everything else, I was just an ordinary student. Did you ever think something was wrong with me based on how I acted? Did I look off in any way?" I asked. " No. You seemed fine to me, although you did have a temper." Twilight answered. " I'm sorry for asking you so many personal questions." " It was beginning to worry me." " While it's true that I did write about my true feelings of you in my journal, I also wrote about something else. None of our friends know this happened, so you'll be the first to discover yet another dark secret I've kept. This one isn't anything dreadful like my life being destroyed. Instead, it involves a longing fueled by the stress I was receiving from my failed attempts at solving the magic problem." I said. On the opposite page that featured the photo of the Wondercolt statue and Twilight, there was a hidden flap. I lifted it up, and underneath was another photo taken by my cellphone, complete with poor quality. Princess Twilight and I were sitting at a table in Sugarcube Corner, and we were both hugging each other. In the hands of Her Highness were some unusual coins, and I was holding regular coins and a dollar bill. " I... I met with Her Highness two days after the tryouts. I had something on my mind that required her immediate input." I said. " What's with the coins?" Twilight asked. " Her Highness is holding Equestrian bits, the currency we use in Equestria. For some reason, they ended up coming through when she came to visit. I don't think they're worth anything in this world, yet I might be wrong; I'm not an expert when it comes to money. I was holding my own money that I scrounged up from my volunteer work. They don't pay much, which is fine--my aim is to help, not to get rich--but the point is that this meeting between us happened without our friends knowing." I answered. " Did Princess Twilight actually try to pay for something with those coins?" " She thought she had change before realizing the truth." I answered. Twilight began giggling to herself, and I chose not to stop her. I could do with genuine laughter from her right now. What happened in that photo was difficult for me to explain, but I knew I had to be honest with her. " She ordered some drinks, and was going to pay until she realized Equestrian bits don't work here. So, I told her I'd pay for it and that she could pay me back the next time I see her. I actually had no plans to have Her Highness do that. I felt it was pointless giving her an I.O.U. for about $1.20." Twilight continued laughing for a bit more until she calmed down after a few minutes. I did find it cute that she was able to provide some happiness before I got down to business. I also found it cute when Princess Twilight had that reaction upon discovering what she had. She needed some more lessons on living in this world. " So, what was so important that you had to meet her in private?" " It doesn't matter anymore. We can skip over it and focus on when I first saw you." " No. If you think this is something I must know, Sunset, then by all means, tell me what happened." " Alright. The reason I wanted to speak to Her Highness privately had to do with coming to a realization. I had struggled for months trying to understand how magic worked in this world. Her advice proved ineffective and my stress levels were reaching their peak. So... I thought about going back home to Equestria and leaving this world behind. I wanted to go home; magic in Equestria made sense." I said. " You wanted to go back? But, weren't you afraid of being arrested?" Twilight asked. " I didn't care about that anymore. I really wanted to go back and experience the joy of being a pony again." " Sunset..." " However, I was also conflicted. In my attempt to convince myself that going home was the right thing to do, I remembered that I also made a commitment. I made the Wondercolts team, and that meant all of CHS would be looking to me and the rest of the team to lead them to victory." I said. With the confirmation from Vice Principal Luna's roster on the bulletin board, I was now a member of the Wondercolts competing in the Friendship Games. Despite my displeasure of having to wear that ridiculous bodysuit and juggling three dumbbells, my routine proved enough for me to be accepted. My friends also made it, and I told them after I had left Flash Sentry after speaking with him in the gym. Even though he also made the team, he still had doubts on whether we were good enough to beat the Shadowbolts, the unknown students of Crystal Prep who we were to face in the Games. Their school prided itself on being the best in the district and had backed up their claim numerous times. To defeat them and claim victory, we had to bring our A game. I did wonder how Principal Cinch selected her team from what she had at her school. We had tryouts that determined who made it--despite only twelve students showing up to begin with--yet what did Crystal Prep have? There was still much about that school that remained a mystery for me. I found it difficult to believe that the students there were incapable of displaying emotion and were instead focused on completing their studies. There was nothing wrong with studying. There were students who were dedicated to getting good grades because they had their eyes set on prestigious universities. The idea of them being emotionless robots just held no credibility to me. I would discover for myself when they came two weeks later to compete. Not only did the Shadowbolts come along but a large retinue of Crystal Prep regulars also came to cheer on their team. If they truly lacked emotion, then cheering for their team would be impossible. As the school day came to an end, my friends asked me if I wanted to go with them to Sugarcube Corner. I politely refused their offer, saying that I wanted to focus more on the magic problem. I had neglected my efforts to solve it because of trying out for the Friendship Games, so it came down to doubling my efforts until an answer was found. Taking refuge within the library and taking out every last paper, chart, calculation, and book, I began feverishly reading over everything. I had hoped to find something I overlooked, but instead, I got a headache from reading so much without taking even a small break. I looked over my notes twice, three times, and then a fourth before numbers, words, and other things started swirling around my head. And yet, I kept on going. I had to figure out the answer before the Friendship Games began. The Games would be a nightmare if Equestrian magic began showing up, and I'd have just felt more guilty over not keeping it under control. Eventually, the pressure was too much for me, and I tossed all of my work to the side. It all hit a bookshelf with a loud thud and dropped to the floor. I stopped moving and my heart began to beat rapidly. Surely, the janitors must have heard that noise from wherever they were working. They'd use my anger as an excuse to have me evicted from living in the library. For about five minutes, I remained still as a statue, afraid that a janitor would come around the corner to confront me. I was fortunate; none of them came this way to investigate. I was safe but also mad for losing control of my temper. I just wanted to scream at the top of my lungs, rip out my hair, and push over several bookshelves. I had finally reached the limits of my patience. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't figure out how magic worked in this world. Everything I had written down just didn't add up to anything! I didn't want to deal with this problem anymore! It was too much for me to handle on my own! I was about to lose it, when an idea popped into my mind. Looking towards my backpack, which had slid across the floor slightly during my brief temper tantrum, I walked over to it, took out the magic journal, grabbed my pen hanging out of my jacket pocket, and began to hastily write down a message for Her Highness to read. I had reached wit's end. Twilight If you are able to receive this message, then know that I really need to speak to you. I know this is really abrupt, but I'm about to lose my sanity. I'm serious! Hope to get a response as soon as possible. Sunset Shimmer Would she even receive it? She had that presentation coming up at Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, and my message sounded like I was acting like a spoiled brat. Had I been hasty? Should I have spent the night ignoring the magic problem and focussing on something fun and constructive instead? That would've worked for most people, but not for me. Once I've started something, I can't stop until it's finished. I began getting antsy waiting for a response from Her Highness, and sure enough, I received an answer from her a couple of minutes later. This sounds very serious, Sunset. I was planning on practicing my speech for my presentation tomorrow, but I'll come through the portal to speak with you. Would you prefer if we chat in front of the statue, or do you have some place in mind? Also, will our friends have a chance to see me? It's been a while since I last saw them. It didn't take long for me to come with a response. I don't want our friends to know about this meeting. I just want it to be between the two of us, pony to pony--human to human. I know it sounds selfish of me to deny them the right to see you again, but this is something I must speak to you about. As for the location, can you meet me at Sugarcube Corner in about an hour? Alright. I won't question your reasons, Sunset. I'll see you there in an hour. Looking up at a clock hanging on a nearby wall, I deduced that it had been thirty minutes since I came here after school finished. My friends usually spent forty-five minutes at Sugarcube Corner before going elsewhere. By the time Princess Twilight and I would meet each other, they'd have been gone for at least half an hour. I felt guilty over keeping them in the dark regarding this meeting with Her Highness, but I needed for this to just involve us. They didn't understand what I was going through. An hour passed, and I was almost at Sugarcube Corner. The streets of Canterlot during the sunset hours were pretty peaceful, aside from rush hour traffic with people being in a hurry to get home from work. While walking to the meeting spot, I felt relaxed knowing that I was going to be getting help from Princess Twilight. I hoped she wouldn't take it the wrong way and accuse me of taking advantage of her. I started getting nervous, my heart rate increasing, so I breathed several times in an effort to relax. Once I had calmed my nerves, I walked to the entrance of Sugarcube Corner and went inside. The sounds of patrons gossiping immediately filled my ears, but luckily, no one from school was in sight. I looked around in hopes of spotting Princess Twilight. It didn't take long to find her. In fact, the instant my eyes took notice of her, she raised her hand to let me know that she had waited for me. " Sunset?" Princess Twilight asked. I waved at Her Highness before walking over and sitting down at a table at the far back of the room. It felt wonderful seeing her again in person after having written to her many times since the Battle of the Bands. Once I was comfortable, Her Highness gently pushed a glass filled with water towards me. I picked it up and held it in my hand while she resumed. " Why did you want to meet? Is something wrong?" " I... I'm finally at my wit's end with the whole magic problem." I answered. " I had a feeling that was the reason why you wanted to talk to me." " I've been trying to figure out how it works in this world, and nothing has worked! I just don't understand why it behaves the way it does! All of my tests! All of my research! All of my free time, wasted because I just can't find an answer." I said. Princess Twilight simply stared at me, blinking every few seconds, and I simply blushed in embarrassment before turning away. I had just vented my frustration out on the one person who helped me turn my life around. What was I thinking? I had acted like a complete bonehead! Turning towards Her Highness again, she was still staring, until she smiled. It took me by surprise. " How can you smile at me after that?" " Your frustration over not being able to figure out this problem was expected, Sunset. I've been in your shoes many times before and after I became a princess. I tried so desperately to find an answer, and when I couldn't, I completely lost my mind. Anyone within range became a victim of my anger." Princess Twilight said. " I'm about ready to give all this up and go back." I said. " To Equestria?" " Yes! Although, I doubt that I'd get a warm welcome after what I did. But, I don't care about that anymore!" " You'd go back knowing you could be punished?" " If it means leaving this world and the nonsense magic in favour of a world where magic works the way it's supposed to, I'm all for it!" I answered. I looked at the glass of water in my hand and swirled it about a little. As I continued swirling it, I felt the rage boiling away inside of me with no signs of slowing down. The reflection of Her Highness was clearly visible in the water, so I looked up at her; her smile had disappeared and was replaced with sadness. " I'm sorry, Twilight. I didn't mean to say it like that. I guess my temper has once again gotten away from me. You must be so disappointed at seeing your student reduced to this." I said. " I cannot pretend to understand the stress you're feeling." Princess Twilight said. " There's another problem that only complicates things further. There's this competition coming up at school in a couple of weeks. Despite what many at CHS are saying, everyone is looking forward to it, and I am too, but the problem is that it feels pretty ordinary and not magical like the Equestria Games back home. Rainbow Dash convinced all of us and several others to try out for the Friendship Games. I made the team along with the rest of them, but maybe I should've thought more about it." I said. Her Highness then started giggling, and it didn't take me long to figure out what caused it. That was her first time hearing the name "Friendship Games", and she was giggling over how cute it sounded. I had to tell her that the Games were serious, especially with who we were up against. " Crystal Prep has always won because they're the best in Canterlot, and we've got to be on equal footing if we hope to win." " Crystal Prep? It sounds like the Crystal Empire back home." Princess Twilight said. " There's probably a connection there." " Why were you hesitant?" " I've studied magic in Equestria, travelled to a different dimension, made friends for the first time in my life, and fought against evil. Somehow, intramural sports just doesn't have the same sense of excitement. Also, I didn't understand what was at stake until after I agreed to try out. These Games mean a lot to the school, even if they say otherwise. Losing so many years in a row has definitely hurt school morale." I answered. " Do the others at least know about your feelings regarding these Games?" " Sort of, but I don't want them to think that I don't support them or want CHS to win." " How do you really feel about it?" " I wanted to support Rainbow Dash since she's my friend, and now I've got to stick with that resolve despite my feelings. Maybe a part of me still has a strong attachment to this world and doesn't want me to leave it all behind." I answered. I felt even more conflicted. I wanted to go back home where magic was normal, but it meant leaving behind my friends who had helped change my life around. Could I have really abandoned them for my own selfish needs? My heart was torn between home and friendship. No matter what side I chose to follow, the other one would feel like I betrayed it. " And then there's one other problem that could affect the Games. Our friends and I all made it, yes, but we also possess magic that could give us an unfair advantage. The thought of CHS being disqualified because of something as foreign as magic would crush everyone's spirits, and I'd take the blame. After all, I brought magic here when I stole your crown." I said. " You still feel guilty about that?" " Not a day goes by that I don't regret stealing it all to fulfill my own selfish desires." " Perhaps magic was meant to come to this world, just not in the way either of us was expecting. I know that you won't resort to using magic to win, Sunset." Princess Twilight said. " What about the phoenix-like wings I mentioned in my last letter?" " Ah, that. Well, I'm not really sure why that happened, but I'm going to see what I can discover when I go back. I've got some free time before I have to resume practicing for my presentation. I won't be able to give you an answer until afterwards, which won't be until the day after tomorrow. Or, you could always come through the portal yourself and get the results from me that way. You'd also get the opportunity to see the inside of my castle. It's impressive, but I don't exactly fawn over it like most newly-crowned princesses would do. I'm still finding new rooms that I never even knew existed. One of these days, I'm going to have to consider making a map to find my way around." Princess Twilight answered. " I'm not sure I can go through the portal because of what might happen." " No one is going to lay a hand--hoof--on you, Sunset, and that's my royal decree! You'll be under my protection, and if anyone tries to arrest you, they'll have me to deal with, as well as Princess Celestia. As long as the portal remains open, you can come back to Equestria any time you want." Princess Twilight said. This conversation had turned out a lot better than I was expecting. Her Highness' words were enough to leave me satisfied with how I should approach my problems, yet I still had some doubts swirling about in my mind. Competing in the Friendship Games and representing CHS was something I wasn't going to back down from. I had to do everything in my power to insure our team's victory. I was also happy that I could go back home to Equestria should that need ever arise. The magic problem remained the one thing Her Highness didn't address. I was going to bring it up with her again in hopes of getting an answer, but then she went ahead and addressed it for me. " You needn't worry about the magic problem, Sunset. I know it's given you a lot of stress lately, but don't let it consume your thoughts. Like I said before, try to understand it from the magic's perspective. You might find some answers that were previously hidden from view." At that moment, a woman walked by holding a tray that contained held drink and what appeared to be a bill. She placed all three objects onto the table and filled up another cup with some juice. Princess Twilight blushed slightly for a moment. She revealed that she had ordered drinks for us when she arrived five minutes before I did but couldn't wait, so she ordered a third one the moment she got here. The bill came to $4.50, and Her Highness reached into her pocket and took out some coins to pay with. She looked down at her coins, and a shocked expression appeared on her face. I had no idea why she looked so distraught, but when I leaned closer to see what was wrong, I, too, was shocked to see that she was holding Equestrian bits. I could tell what they were, as one side featured a horseshoe, and the other, an image of Princess Celestia. I didn't think that the currency of Equestria could be brought over to this world, but Her Highness had gone and proven that inadvertently. While it was a pleasant sight to see something from back home again, I knew our waitress wouldn't be thrilled with coins that were worthless around here. Reaching into my own pocket, I took out some coins and a dollar bill--the proper currency--and held them in my hand. " Here, I've got it. You can pay me back when I come to see you." " Thanks." " Excuse me, but do you mind if I do something first before I pay for the drinks?" I asked the waitress. She nodded, and I took out my cellphone and went around to the other side of the table. Princess Twilight had no idea what I was doing, but she started to figure it out when I held out my arm. " I hope you don't mind me taking a selfie of us holding our coins. I just want to have this moment to look back on later." Her Highness shook her head; she didn't mind. I fiddled about with the buttons on my phone before Her Highness and I held out our coins, and I snapped a couple of photos. Once I was done, I handed over the money to the waitress, while Her Highness put her money away. We spent the next hour talking about random nonsense before we both left to go back to the portal to Equestria. When we arrived at the portal, I gave Princess Twilight a hug and wished her luck with her presentation tomorrow. I also wanted her to tell me everything that happened. I might not have been able to see it myself, but that was the next best thing. As she entered the portal and disappeared, I turned to look at the school. I knew the Friendship Games were going to test my resolve and that of everyone else. Crystal Prep was going to throw everything they had at us to guarantee their victory, so we couldn't succumb to whatever they planned. Was I doing the right thing by competing? I didn't know at the time, but the Games were going to be unlike anything anyone was expecting. " I've got to give Princess Twilight a lot of credit for remaining calm while you were letting your emotions run wild." Twilight said. " She's matured a lot since she first became a princess. Before ascending to an alicorn, Her Highness had her moments of immaturity, like freaking out over the tiniest of details, yet she still remained on the path that had been planned for her by Princess Celestia. Despite becoming a motherly figure by helping others understand friendship and helping fillies mature into fine ponies, she continues having those moments." I said. " What was this presentation she had?" " I don't know the exact details, but she had been asked by Princess Celestia to present to a large gathering of unicorns and teach them about cutie mark magic. The pony versions of our friends became friends with her during a terrible crisis, that I mentioned before, yet it was a sonic rainboom that resulted in the discovery of their special talents in life. I wish that I could've gone and witnessed the presentation, but that wasn't possible." I answered. " Yes, you were a unicorn in Equestria, right?" " I used to think of myself as the best to have ever come out of the School for Gifted Unicorns. These days, I view myself as one of its greatest failures because of what happened between me and Princess Celestia." I answered. " Sunset..." " I'm not bitter about it, Twilight. I know I messed up big time and lost my status as Celestia's protégé by going behind her back and learning dark magic. It's a learning experience that will help to remind me what not to do should a future scenario like that happen." I said. Maybe someday, I'll return to the school to finish what I started. Despite what happened, I was never officially kicked out of the school. Instead, I was no longer permitted to enter the castle until my attitude changed. Princess Celestia left the door open for me to return and seek out her guidance. I'm now Princess Twilight's student, yet when I'm ready, I'll confront my former teacher and finally resolve the lingering incident from my past that continues haunting me. If I do return to the school and finish my education, I'd be the oldest unicorn to have ever graced its hallowed walls. Did I see myself eventually becoming the protégé of Princess Celestia again? No. That opportunity had long since passed. No matter how much I've worked hard to change my life and become someone who was dedicated to friendship, I could never become her prized student again. Once you've proven yourself unworthy in her eyes, that's it; you don't get a second chance! None of her other failed students received a second chance, and she couldn't play favourites and give me that which they were denied. All I could do was ask for forgiveness and move on from that. " What's a cutie mark?" I stuck my fingers into both ears to clean out the wax from them when she said that, and thought I might have misheard her. Did Twilight just say that she had no idea what a cutie mark was? Then again, I stopped mentioning events from Equestria after I came back here with the crown. Knowing Twilight, she was going to give me her pouting expression until I cave in and explain what a cutie mark was. Unlike most other things she's learned about Equestria tonight, cutie marks were easy to explain, but difficult to go into the true depths of their purpose to ponies. I had to make this brief, otherwise I'd have to spend at least an hour or two explaining something that doesn't involve my journal. Now, how was I going to explain what they looked like on a pony? I thought about it for a few moments before coming up with an answer. " Cutie marks are like tattoos that appear on a pony's flank. They come in different symbols that represent their special talent in life. Ponies aren't born with their marks, but instead earn them when they discover what they're supposed to do. I know that I've explained it to you before, Twilight, but I guess I have to explain it once again. Some ponies get their marks faster than others, depending on their situations. I was actually one of the first fillies in my class to receive my mark." I answered. " Do you think I have one?" " Most likely, if you suddenly decided to travel to Equestria. It could be the same mark as what Princess Twilight has, or it could be something more akin to what makes you who you are inside. Anyway, I'm going to move on and tell you what happened roughly ten minutes before you arrived at CHS. Originally, I was at Sugarcube Corner, and in the process of lining up to be served. Things were normal until I received a text message from Rainbow Dash." I answered. " What did she have to say?" Twilight asked. " She had an emergency and I needed to get over to CHS immediately." " It sounds serious." " I thought it was until I got back to school and learned that Rainbow Dash loved exaggerating." Seeing Princess Twilight again made me feel better despite the looming threat of the magic problem and the Friendship Games. I still had thoughts about leaving everything behind in this world and going back to Equestria. I was missing how I used to run around on four hooves instead of two legs, flinging around magic like I had no care in the world, going on quests, meeting mythical creatures, and even taking Princess Celestia's tests. Equestria was a much better place than this world. All that existed here was going to school, trying to earn a living afterwards, starting a family, and being overall restricted in freedoms. However, I didn't want to leave all of my friends behind. We had been through so much together during the past several months. Despite being pushed around by forces bent on harming us, we prevailed against the odds. If I could, I'd have allowed them to go through the portal with me and see my world. Of course, I knew that was nothing more than a fantasy. The pony versions of my friends and my friends could never interact with one another. I needed more time to think about what I wanted to do. The right time to make a decision was after the Games had concluded. That way, I could contribute to the team without giving off the impression that I was trying to ditch them in favour of fulfilling my own desires. Two days before the Friendship Games were to take place at CHS, I was at Sugarcube Corner during my free period from school. I had felt peckish and wanted to get myself a delicious treat and a drink to go along with it. Unfortunately, I was forced to abandon my goal when I received what I assumed was disastrous news. I had spent about ten minutes waiting in line, and I was anxious. Mr. and Mrs. Cake had introduced a new item to their menu, and everyone had been talking about it for the last couple of days. Their words were enough to convince me to use my free period to find out about it for myself. I could've spent that time on solving the magic problem, but my sweet tooth was suggesting otherwise. I was about two people away from being served, when I suddenly received a text on my cellphone. At first, I decided to ignore it in favour of waiting for my turn to be served, but then the same text appeared again with some extra content. Rainbow Dash needed all of us to come over to the main entrance right away. I didn't want to leave when I was so close to having that delicious treat, but when Rainbow sent an additional text that read "emergency" in the title, I broke free from the lineup and ran out the door. I was disappointed in giving up my spot in the line, yet my friend was in trouble and needed my help. Hopefully, Mr. and Mrs. Cake didn't view my behaviour as unusual. I had been a loyal customer to them those past few months, and leaving suddenly like that was tantamount to saying that I found a better place elsewhere. Running on the sidewalk and passing by houses, I contemplated on several things. The leaves were blowing about the warm day, telling that spring was in the air and that summer was coming up soon. My shadow was pretty large, due to the sun's position above me. And, I realized that running in these boots definitely hurt my feet, as they weren't designed for running, and the tapping sound got on my nerves. Eventually, I reached CHS, noticing Rainbow Dash and Applejack by the entrance. I had no idea how AJ managed to get there so quickly. She must have been in the school somewhere when she received the text. I saw the rest of my friends running towards Rainbow from different directions, with Pinkie running up behind me. " I got your text, Rainbow Dash!" I said, coming to a stop and catching my breath. " Did something come through the portal? Is Equestrian magic on the loose? Did Twilight come back with a problem that only we can solve!?" I had become weary of anyone coming to this world by using the portal unless it was Her Highness, especially if they meant harm. " Has a giant cake monster covered all the cakes in the world in cake!?" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. " Did you seriously just say that?" I asked. " Rainbow said this was an emergency, and a giant cake monster is nothing to be taken lightly." Pinkie Pie answered before putting two cupcakes--still in their wrappers--into her mouth and swallowing them without chewing. I looked at her with a serious expression. I didn't want to encourage her to say something else that was bizarre. Turning my attention towards what was happening in front of me, Rainbow Dash and Applejack were looking at one another, with the latter seeming unimpressed. " Well, is this emergency of yours one of the things I mentioned?" I asked. " Um, not exactly." Rainbow Dash answered. " Oh. Well, is it something that requires the use of our magic?" " No." " Then what is it?" " Heh. You're going to laugh when you hear this." " Uh, I don't understand." " Well, Sunset, I was just tellin' Rainbow Dash here that a broken guitar string doesn't really qualify as an emergency." Applejack said. Wait a minute! Rainbow dragged me away from having quite possibly the most delicious treat throughout Canterlot because her guitar had a broken string!? The rage within me started boiling over from what I had just heard, and Applejack noticed my reaction. " I know it sounds bad, Sunset, but I reckon Rainbow can explain why she went and dragged us all away from our activities. Since we all came runnin' without a second thought, we're ready to hear you out. Hopin' this'll be a good reason." " Okay! What's going on here?" I asked. " My guitar string broke, so I sent out an emergency text so that you could come over to help. You all know how important my guitar is to me. Without it, I'd have never been able to do so much shredding, and I'd have been forced to play a much lamer instrument." Rainbow Dash answered. " Applejack was right. This isn't an emergency." " It totally is!" " Really, Rainbow Dash! I was in the middle of sewing a very complex appliqué on my latest frock." Rarity said. I noticed that she was holding a red pincushion with several needles stuck in it and had a yellow measuring tape around her neck. Well, that's disappointing. I knew she planned on showing us the finished product, but it certainly didn't help that she's being interrupted for something stupid. " I wish that you could have waited until tomorrow to call us all together to help you out. I simply must get this frock completed, otherwise I'll lose my inspiration." " Do you plan on showing us?" I asked. " Well, of course, darling! Why would I deny my friends the opportunity to see my newest fashion creation. It will take longer for me to finish, however, because of this unfortunate mishap involving a simple guitar string." Rarity answered. " At least you're the only one who's complaining." Rainbow Dash said. " And I was just about to tuck everyone in for the night at the shelter. Now we'll have to start stories all over again." Fluttershy said. She was holding her favourite pet, a rabbit named Angel, who looked at her with a sad expression in his eyes. During my time volunteering at the animal shelter, not once did I ever see her telling stories to the animals to make them sleep easier. Then again, I was usually there just after school every Thursday and Friday, assuming they needed me, until around 6:00pm. Fluttershy often stayed until they closed at around 9:00pm, but she never complained about it. She just loved taking care of those animals. I was confused as to why she was telling them bedtime stories at 4:00pm, which was way too soon. " I agree with Rarity. You should have waited until tomorrow. We could have easily helped you without the need for us to be pulled away from our commitments." " Why would you send all of us an emergency text for a guitar string?" I asked. " It's kinda a silly reason." Rainbow Dash answered. " I've got all this free time on my hands to kill, so I'm not going anywhere." " Heh, guess you've got a point there." " We'd have been okay coming here and putting what we were doing on hold had you not declared it to be an emergency. What were you thinking? I know that guitar holds a lot of meaning to you, and I have no problem with that, but to drag us here just for one lousy string? I'm sorry, Rainbow, but you clearly didn't think things through when you were freaking out. You may as well explain yourself." I said. " Well, I was going to pony up and show our fans some awesome guitar licks." Rainbow Dash said, turning towards someone who was sitting a short distance away. I turned to see who these so-called "fans" were that warranted us to be summoned here abruptly. It was Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo, the same three girls who only several months ago almost destroyed my life when they framed me out of jealousy. They were eventually forgiven for their actions by the student body, and they did apologize for the way they treated me during the holidays. All three girls then waved when Rainbow acknowledged their presence. " But I kinda need all six strings to do it. Got any extra?" Rainbow Dash asked. The rest of us groaned in response. All she wanted to do was perform for our fans, and she couldn't wait until tomorrow. She just had to perform right now! I'm sure the Crusaders wouldn't have minded waiting an extra day, yet Rainbow wasn't exactly a patient person. She wanted everything to come her way and hated waiting. The girls started to look at one another to see who among them had a spare guitar string. I knew Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy didn't have any, as their instruments don't use any strings. Applejack's bass used strings, yet I knew she never needed any extras. She was good at taking care of her things, unlike Rainbow Dash. All eyes then turned towards me, the only other person who played an instrument with strings. I always had a spare string just in case one of mine broke. I took my backpack off of my shoulders, opened it up, and pulled out a guitar string that didn't quite match what Rainbow used. " Here!" " You actually had a spare on you?" Rainbow Dash asked. " I'm still trying to learn how to play the guitar, and I've broken more than one string on occasion. So, I make it my goal to always have a spare on hand. I'm going to have to find another one, as I don't like not having one on my person, but this should be enough to give you the rhythm you need. Next time, I suggest that you bring your own extra so that you don't have to go through this again and drag us here without warning." I answered. I stuck out my hand, and Rainbow grabbed the string before applying it to her guitar. A question then crossed my mind. Where did Rainbow plan on performing for the Crusaders? She didn't think that one through, either. " But everyone finished practicing for the day. I'm pretty sure all the music rooms are locked." I said. " No problem. The acoustics in the hallway are perfect for power chords." Rainbow Dash said. She then played a chord on her guitar, and a powerful burst of music came forth from it. My extra string had proved useful, yet how did she play her guitar without it plugged into a socket? " C'mon! Let's go!" Rainbow turned and walked into the building, with the others and the Crusaders following close behind. Applejack was just about to enter herself, when she turned to look at me. " You comin', Sunset?" " I'll catch up in a bit." I answered. Applejack walked inside, and the door closed with a loud click. I wiped my forehead before cursing Rainbow Dash under my breath. I was really looking forward to having that new treat at Sugarcube Corner. Her antics had denied me the pleasure of experiencing its sugary goodness. I planned on going back there later and getting my fill as originally intended, but for the time being, I wanted to think about other things. Namely, I was curious as to what Princess Twilight was up to. I knew it had only been two weeks since I saw her in person, yet much can happen in that amount of time. I really wanted to know how her presentation went. I'd never experienced one of her speeches before, and I was certain the unicorns who had gathered to hear her were impressed. Sitting down in front of the stairs leading up to the front door, I put my backpack down, opened it, took out the magic journal, and fished a pen from my pocket. Before I began to write a message, I took a moment to gaze upon the Wondercolt statue. Most students didn't know about the portal that lead to Equestria. They just saw the statue as a representation of what the school stood for. Knowing that they remained clueless about the statue's secret was essential. No one must know what lies on the other side. Many knew that I came from another world, but I never mentioned anything more about it. I wasn't going to have my world suddenly bombarded by humans who had no idea how Equestria operates. Breathing heavily several times to calm my nerves over such nonsense, I clicked on my pen and looked down at my journal. I could barely make out the sound of a bus making its way towards the school. I didn't think anything of it and just focused on my message. That bus contained someone who was about to change everything. " That was her emergency!?" Twilight exclaimed. " I told you that she loved to exaggerate. I never did get that extra string back, so I had to go and find another one." I said. " If I had been in your shoes, I'd have given her a stern talking-to about not dragging your friends to help you deal with a problem that isn't even one. I do admire your dedication towards wanting to help her out, even if there was no need." Twilight said. " It took me about half an hour to get over what she did. Rainbow Dash is very passionate about her guitar and breaks down whenever something bad happens to it. She actually views her instrument as being more important than herself sometimes. A disturbing way to look at it, but it's what makes her happy. I was actually glad that her emergency involved needing a new guitar string. Could you imagine if it had been to do with the Friendship Games?" I asked. Even while I was running towards the school at the time, the thought of Rainbow's emergency relating to the Games was slim to none. I mean, we were ready to face off against the Shadowbolts, despite having some jitters. We had spent those past two weeks training hard in all kinds of events to give ourselves some much needed experience in working together. Our friends and I already had great chemistry with one another, yet the same couldn't be said with our other teammates. We had worked with Flash Sentry in the past, but he was the only one. Derpy was someone we had never worked with before, so we needed to fully comprehend what kind of abilities she possessed. We were surprised by how skillful she was, especially in events that focused on pure strength. Lyra and Bon Bon were also difficult, as they insisted on always being paired together, even in events designed with single competition segments. They had to learn that they needed others to help them in situations where their own combined efforts weren't enough. It took some convincing to finally bring them on board. Sandalwood and Micro Chips were, without a doubt, the odd couple among the Wondercolt athletes. None of us knew exactly what enabled them to work together so flawlessly, given their different backgrounds and interests. Their methods for completing events were "unique", to say the least. The Shadowbolts would have been caught off guard with how they used a combination of computer knowledge and spiritual guidance to accomplish their tasks. Their only problem was relying too much on their interests. They needed to broaden their horizons by trying something outside of their comfort zones. " None of your teammates were hurt, were they?" Twilight asked. " No. Vice Principal Luna did name four additional students who were part of the Wondercolts' reserves. If one of the main twelve suddenly experienced a problem, a substitute player would come in and take their place. We never did end up using them, but she wanted to make sure that they were there, just in case." I answered. " Who were they?" " Trixie, Captain Planet, and two students named Cecil and Poindexter." " Were they upset that they never got to compete?" " Not really. Trixie was the only one who cared about being on the reserves, but when she saw what kind of events we were competing in, she was glad that none of us got injured beforehand. She didn't know much about cooking, and building something like a birdhouse wasn't in her skill set, either. If one of the events had been a magic act, she'd have done everything in her power to ensure she was part of the action." I answered. " Our first encounter is coming up." Twilight said. " I didn't know it was you at the time." " Did you ever figure out that it was me?" " Actually, no."