The Other Journal

by Ganondorf8

Chapter 34: Weakened Resolve

Day: Friday
Weather: Chilly
Time: 12:00pm

Wanting to get the disaster of the practice session behind us, Princess Twilight, my friends and I headed over to CHS, where they had to check in to be able to compete. Of all the bands who wanted to win the Battle of the Bands, the Dazzlings were the only ones who had ulterior motives aside from winning. We didn't know what they were planning, but they had to be stopped before they could achieve their goal. The counter-spell wasn't ready to be used, so the Rainbooms decided to carry on as normal. Their performance was pretty good, but the various acts of sabotage caused by other students threatened to undermine their chances. I knew the competition would be difficult, but I never expected anything like this. After barely finishing their song, the Rainbooms decided to practice elsewhere, while I continued to watch the other bands performing. Maybe I should have gone with them, as that would have prevented the heartbreak I soon suffered.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
December 28, 2015
Chapter 34: Weakened Resolve.

" When did you run into the Sirens?" Twilight asked.

" After the Rainbooms had finished their performance, they decided to practice somewhere else so that they wouldn't be sabotaged again. While I wasn't there to witness what happened, Princess Twilight told me later on that she ran into Flash Sentry. Normally, such an encounter would be charming, given how the two of them have a crush on one another, but this time would be much different. The desire to win no matter what had really affected his mind, so he accused Her Highness of trying to take that away from him. I know that he was under the influence of the Sirens' magic, yet to say those things to Her Highness was going too far." I answered.

" What did he say?" Twilight asked.

" I'm only going by what Her Highness said. Flash said that she had no idea what she was even doing with regards to helping our friends." I answered. In truth, he had said a lot more than that, but I didn't want to confess any of that to Twilight. She might take it the wrong way and attempt to demonize Flash, which would be unfair. It was the anger inside of him--courtesy of the Sirens--that made him lash out like he did. When Her Highness told me he accused her of trying to rob him of the chance to win the competition, I was completely beside myself. He was a really great guy who could get along with anyone, yet his sudden change made him act like I once did. It made me feel very uncomfortable knowing that Flash had become a bully. I should have been there! I could have convinced him to back-off and leave her alone! Instead, I chose to watch the other bands compete in case something went wrong. " What he said made Princess Twilight cry, but I could never blame him for that; he wasn't himself. Deep down, she knew that was true, as well, yet she had to keep on going for his sake and everyone else's." I said.

" The Sirens' magic truly is horrifying." Twilight said.

" Magic is divided into three main categories: Light, Dark, and Natural. From there, they are further divided into categories too numerous for me to mention, but the main three are the ones you should remember for future studies on the subject. What the Sirens used was dark magic, and such a power can manipulate the minds of weaker beings into suppressing their inhibitions, their feelings, their moral compasses. This would cause them to hurt others in ways they never would otherwise, such as what Her Highness experienced." I said.

" Fascinating." Twilight said.

" I may not have finished my studies with Princess Celestia, yet I still know plenty about magic." I said. If only I had completed my studies rather than run away all because of being denied my destiny. I could have found the solution to deal with the Sirens without the need of dragging Her Highness into our problem. Instead, I failed them when they needed me the most. While I would eventually redeem myself during the conclusion to the Friendship Games, it didn't change the fact that I failed back then. Just knowing that I could have been more useful made me want to punish myself again, but I refrained from doing so, as it would have upset Twilight.

" Maybe one of these days I should have you teach me, considering that I used magic myself." Twilight said. What was it about her that made me feel happy? Physically, she looked identical to Princess Twilight, yet her personality was completely different. While I had gotten used to her being so close to me, it felt like she actually wanted to be close to me. As in, she might be developing a slight crush on me. Is that what's going on? Hmm... I don't have the same feelings, considering she's a human and I'm a pony, but if she thinks that way about me, who am I to deny her? On a different note, the idea of me teaching someone about magic sounded like a really good idea.

" I'm sure I could teach you the historical aspects of it." I said.

" That would be great!" Twilight said.

" Anyway, after the Rainbooms had finished their performance, they had some choice words to say to each other. Namely, it was Applejack and Rarity because of the former's annoyance with the latter wanting to wear something fancy. There would also be tension between Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, but their spat was small compared with what happened between Applejack and Rarity." I said.

" What about Rainbow Dash?" Twilight asked.

" She didn't get involved." I answered.

" And you?" Twilight asked.

" I was the only mature person of the group, as I chose to keep my emotions in check. Sometimes, I wish that I had let my emotions run loose. It would have allowed me to get a lot of things off of my chest, yet instead, I refrained, wanting to maintain my friendships. They were really important to me. The thought of losing even one was something I just couldn't accept." I answered.

---

I felt useless! I had just witnessed two different acts of sabotage aimed at ruining my friends' performance. I could have stopped them had I been more alert to their presence on the walkway above the stage. Instead, I just stood there and did nothing, while those saboteurs got away with their actions. First, Snips and Snails used a spotlight to make Fluttershy nervous about being on the spot. And second, Photo Finish and her friends used a magnet to swing Rarity around like a puppet. If this competition had been under fairer observations, this whole sabotage thing would have been an nonissue. Instead, Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna allowed it to happen. No doubt everything was stacked against the Rainbooms thanks to the Dazzlings!

Despite the shenanigans happening above the stage, my friends were able to somehow finish their performance, which did earn applause from the two sisters. They must have thought it was all part of the act instead of sabotage. The song they sang was pretty catchy and one I had never heard before. I had to admit that it was cute that the inspiration behind the lyrics related to horses.

That was the only positive that could be taken from all of this. I knew what was going to happen the moment they left the stage and discussed how it turned out. Tensions were about to get even worse, especially between Applejack and Rarity. I know arguing amongst friends was pretty common and could, in fact, strengthen the bonds of friendship, yet they could also make things worse. One thing was certain: I would keep these thoughts to myself, as I didn't want to interfere in matters that might be above my head.

My friends left the stage with all of their equipment after receiving their score--it was confidential--and went backstage, where Rarity was the first to say something about what happened.

" Ruined! Absolutely ruined!" Rarity shouted as she dropped to her knees upon going backstage.

" What in tarnation were you doin' out there?" Applejack asked.

" I was performing, just like everyone else was." Rarity answered.

" Coulda fooled me. Were you tryin' to make us look bad on purpose!? I know this is just the rehearsal but you're startin' ta make me think that you want us to lose in the first round." Applejack said. Rarity, naturally, took offence to such accusations. I knew that she was just frustrated with what happened out there, but saying something that wasn't true would only cause tensions to rise even more.

" What!? How dare you imply something like that! It was an act of sabotage!" Rarity shouted.

" How do y'all figure that?" Applejack asked.

" Surely, you saw me being pulled about like a puppet? There was even a magnet on my sleeves, held by someone who was standing on the walkway above the stage. I had no control over my body. Why didn't you help me, Applejack? You clearly saw the magnet attached to my metallic fringes." Rarity answered.

" Yeah, well, whoever did this couldn't have done it if you didn't insist on dressin' like... like... this! We need to sound good! If we aim to make it through this here competition and defeat the other bands, our sound needs to be the best. Nothing else is important! Is there some reason ya can't get that concept?" Applejack asked.

" I'll never perform in public unless I look good." Rarity answered. She said that with confidence in her voice, but maybe she should've held her tongue. I looked in Applejack's direction and could clearly see her face was bright red, indicating that she had reached a boiling point and was liable to explode in a fit of rage. She reminded me a lot of myself, when I used to be a bully. To Rarity's credit, she didn't back down, instead waving her hand out before Applejack to try and make her see things her way. " It's my contribution to our band, alongside playing the keytar, and I have every intention of letting everyone out there know that not only are we expert musicians, we are experts in looking fabulous."

" That doesn't make a lick of sense." Applejack said.

" Changing the subject..." Rainbow Dash interrupted before turning her attention to Pinkie Pie. " What was with all of the confetti, Pinkie? I know you like the stuff, but what possessed you to fill your drum with them? Twilight choked on one, and a few pieces got caught in my guitar. How am I supposed to shred if there's paper stuck in my frets!?

" I thought it'd be fun." Pinkie Pie answered.

" Fun!? I wouldn't exactly say that." Rainbow Dash said.

" Well, it was fun to me, which is what matters." Pinkie Pie said. From what I've seen, that statement should have made Rainbow Dash angrier, but she appeared to be rather reserved. The fact that she had been looking behind her shoulder at Applejack must have contributed to her current demeanour. Fluttershy then walked up towards Pinkie, and she looked like something was on her mind. Was she going to further add to the already-building tensions? Fluttershy? Doing that? Unthinkable!

" It was pretty distracting." Fluttershy said.

" You too?" Pinkie Pie asked.

" The confetti didn't really mess me up, but I still think it caused problems." Fluttershy answered.

" Says the girl who was running from a light the whole time! A light!" Pinkie Pie said.

" You know I don't like being the center of attention. When that light shone on top of me, I, um, just panicked and tried to run from it. It kept following, so I hid behind your drums. I'm, um, sorry if I caused any problems." Fluttershy said. None of them were seeing the truth within their arguing. They had managed to make a good enough impression, judging from the smiles Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna had upon telling them how well they did. Of course, my friends were fixated on the negatives, which served to tear their friendship apart. What was happening here was far worse than what I did to them, so I felt compelled to get them back on track before things could get even worse.

" There's one good thing to come from this." I said.

" What's that?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" You sound better than most of the other bands around here. Use that to your advantage, and I have no doubt in my mind that you'll make it all the way to the finals. Still, we need to have that counter-spell ready. Without it, none of this is going to matter." I answered. I could have worded that differently, but I didn't want Princess Twilight to feel even more stressed than she was. The pressure was on her to perfect it, and while she was physically up to the challenge, emotionally, it was a different matter entirely.

" Then I need to work on it where I won't be disturbed." Princess Twilight announced.

" That applies with all of you." I said.

" Why us?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" If you practice out in the open, the Dazzlings are sure to hear you working on that spell and take measures to ensure that you never get the chance to use it. The best thing you all can do is to practice in one of the classrooms, since they're all empty right now. That way, no one can sabotage your efforts like what happened before, and Twilight can work on perfecting the counter-spell." I answered.

" What about you?" Princess Twilight asked.

" I'll stay here and keep an eye on things." I answered.

" Are you sure about that? I thought you would've wanted to come with us." Princess Twilight said.

" The idea's nice and all, Twilight, but remember that I'm not a part of the Rainbooms. I have no place among the group, so going with you guys would merely mean I'd be contributing nothing but dead weight. That's fine, though; I'm resigned to it. Now go on and find a place where you won't be disturbed." I said. I could see the look in Princess Twilight's eyes, a sign that our discussion last night really meant something to her. She didn't want me to be isolated just because I wasn't part of the band, yet I had to remind her that she had her place and I had mine. Her place was to bask in the glory of being one of those who were going to save everyone from dark magic. My place, on the other hand, was to remain on the sidelines as a lost cause because of my past.

" If you insist." Princess Twilight said sadly. She and the others then walked away, leaving me to look out on the stage to see who the next band was going to be. I knew that I was being hard on myself, but my friends had more important things to worry about. Hopefully, they could keep the tensions amongst them under control long enough for them to prevail against the Dazzlings. Principal Celestia then announced that a band known as "Derpy and the Pony Pickers" were next to perform. Derpy... that name sounded familiar to me. It then dawned on me that the name belonged to the cross-eyed girl who rarely says anything and has an obsession with muffins. I guess the dark magic of the Dazzlings compelled Derpy, who was normally never into competitions, into wanting to win, as well.

Looking back in the direction Princess Twilight and my friends walked down, I began to have second thoughts about my decision to remain here. Had I made the right choice, even if it meant making myself miserable? I had to keep an eye on the other bands, especially the Dazzlings, who so far haven't done anything other than watch everything that was happening on stage. Turning towards the rafters where they had been sitting since the start of the competition, I was shocked to find that the Dazzlings were no longer sitting there. Where did they go?

---

" Maybe they just decided to step outside in order to gather their thoughts." Twilight suggested.

" Gather their thoughts?" I asked.

" Well, it's what I would normally do." Twilight answered. I rolled my eyes. I should have known that she would say something like that, as people like her often left hectic scenarios in order to do some thinking. If only the Sirens had been compelled to do something similar to that. It would have meant not freaking out over where they had gone upon deciding to leave the gym.

" Considering the Sirens were capable of just about anything, them leaving was a sign that disaster was coming." I said.

" Good point." Twilight said, adjusting her glasses before turning to the next page of the journal. There were no photos to be found this time around, but instead there were lyrics to various songs. None of them were associated with the Rainbooms, so Twilight concluded that these had to have been performed by the other bands. " I recognize that one there as having been sung by Trixie, and I didn't even need to look at who the performer was."

" How did you figure that out?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

" The lyrics claim her to be powerful and great. Combined with what your journal described about her from that encounter you had with her, it wasn't hard to figure out. Besides, none of the other lyrics portray their singers as being superior to anyone else." Twilight answered. While the choreography was really good, the lyrics weren't anything special; they were the same words repeated several times to reiterate how she viewed herself among her peers. While Trixie did have some good intentions, they were clearly overshadowed by her egotistical mannerisms, which were as bad as, or even worse than, what Rainbow Dash used to be like.

" She always was full of herself." I said.

" But she was never a problem, right?" Twilight asked.

" No. If anything, Trixie just liked to brag about herself. Everyone in school simply ignored her; they all saw her as a broken record. If you look past the bravado and special effects, she can be a nice person to get along with." I answered. Twilight looked confused when I mentioned special effects, and I then realized that I never once explained that Trixie was infamous throughout CHS as using various effects to make herself stand out more. Most of them were pretty harmless, such as when she used smoke in order to cover any potential escape. " Trixie often claimed that she was a magician, which is the reason why her band was known as 'Trixie and the Illusions'. They even dressed up as wizards to add to the perception of being magical."

" Was she really capable of magic?" Twilight asked.

" Not in the manner that you, our friends and I are capable of." I answered. That prompted Twilight to burst into laughter, and I couldn't help but follow along. We simply laughed like children for a few moments.

" So she was more of a traditional magician, the kind who uses basic tricks in order to put on a show." Twilight said.

" Actually, she knew her craft pretty well. While her tricks weren't exactly magical, they were effective in getting her recognized by professional magicians. If she can get over her bravado, I can see her being a great professional magician." I said.

Twilight then looked at some more lyrics, recognizing who had performed each song based on the words, yet the last set left her confused. She turned towards me in hopes that I would know more about them, so when I took a closer look, I quickly pulled myself away. " Those final lyrics belong to the Sirens."

" How can you tell?" Twilight asked.

" Because the song they sang was a reminder that everyone, aside from us, were completely under their power." I answered.

" 'Under Our Spell'. Pretty obvious it's theirs, now that I think about it." Twilight said.

" That wasn't even their most influential song! It paled in comparison to the song they sang in the finals. Not only did 'Under Our Spell' reiterate their domination, it also caused everyone to lash out at one another, resulting in even more negative energy for the Sirens to absorb en masse. They were now even closer to achieving their true power. To reach their final goal, they would need our friends to reach a boiling point, where their arguing would unleash the strongest negative energy imaginable." I said.

" Weren't the Rainbooms already filled with negativity?" Twilight asked.

" Yes, but not to the point where they were throttling each other. They were still showing signs of restraint, but it would only take something really small to break them apart." I answered. While Applejack caused tensions to flare up during the start of the competition, it would be Rainbow Dash who made everything boil over in the end. Not surprising that it was the two most vocal members of the Rainbooms who would cause their downfall.

" At least you didn't end up getting caught up in their arguing." Twilight said.

" I had my own problems to deal with." I said.

" What were they?" Twilight asked.

" I'd eventually get suspicious of the Sirens leaving after the Rainbooms' performance, so I decided to go and see what they were up to. I should have waited for the others, or at least Princess Twilight, to accompany me, because I was about to have my self-confidence shattered when the Sirens took advantage of my insecurities." I answered.

---

The Dazzlings had decided to leave the gym. Was I being paranoid? They could have left in order to get a drink or something. Or, they could have left to cause problems for Princess Twilight and my friends, seeing as I suggested that they practice in one of the many empty classrooms. After mulling it over for a few moments, I decided that I had simply been overthinking the situation, and I paid it no mind.

Looking at the band now on stage, Derpy and the Pony Pickers, I was surprised to see the band leader--Derpy, they called her--holding what looked like a saw. At first I thought she had completely lost her mind, until I saw that she was playing it like an instrument. Of course. It was a musical saw, an instrument that gave off a wavy vibration, similar to the Theremin, to make it sound alien. One of her band mates was playing... a cow bell!? Seriously!? That actually qualifies as a musical instrument? The other band member was playing a triangle which made more sense, but still, a cow bell!? Guess anything can become an instrument.

Other bands then came up to perform, such as The Crusaders, Bulk Biceps, Octavia, and Flash Drive, each of them proving to be incredibly talented with their choice of instruments and music. It was Bulk Biceps, in particular, who stood out the most for me. Considering how big he was in comparison to most other students, I was surprised that he could play a violin with such precision.

The next band to perform were Photo Finish and the Snapshots, and I had to hold back my emotions toward what they tried to do to my friends when they were on stage. I knew it wasn't really their fault, as they, like everyone else, were under the control of the Dazzlings, so I had to give them some benefit of the doubt, although it wasn't easy. They sounded pretty good, which was surprising, as Photo Finish was more known for her photography rather than her musical skills.

After the Snapshots finished their performance, Trixie and the Illusions were called to the stage. I knew their band would go far in this competition, as Trixie was known for her skills on the electric guitar, about which she had constantly been reminding everyone in the days leading up to this.

" Sunset Shimmer... I'm surprised to see you standing back here." Trixie said as she approached me from behind.

" I see your band is next to perform." I said.

" While Trixie would have preferred her band to have gone much sooner than this, I can accept it. Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna obviously know how great I truly am and wanted lesser bands to go first." Trixie said. She didn't waste time stroking her own ego, but I chose to let it slide. Otherwise, I'd find myself getting into an argument with her. That was the last thing I wanted to deal with.

" I hope you don't think that I changed my mind and decided to join my friends' band." I said.

" No, that thought hasn't crossed Trixie's mind. You're just here to provide support for your friends while they bask in the glory. Considering what happened during their performance, you must feel relieved that you didn't end up embarrassing yourself. Trixie would have caused an act of sabotage herself, but she refrained. She didn't want to distract herself with the likes of them." Trixie said. On the one hand, she had been honest with me about not trying to ruin my friends' chances. On the other hand, her boisterous remarks wanted me to throttle her, but like her, I chose to restrain myself. Unlike her, I held back because the idea of stooping to her level sickened me.

" Hopefully, no one decides to sabotage your band." I said.

" Doubtful, as I never boasted about being better than everyone else to the point where a competition wasn't even needed, unlike your friends. By the way, Trixie noticed you have been watching the Dazzlings ever since the competition began. She doesn't particularly care why you're doing that, but why do you suppose they chose to leave after your band had performed? Trixie finds that very suspicious, and surely you do as well." Trixie said. Her words were enough for me to turn around and leave the gym through the side entrance that Rarity used. Trixie merely shrugged her shoulders before proceeding to join her bandmates on stage.

I should have realized that the Dazzlings were trying to get to Princess Twilight and my friends. Why did I decide to remain behind while the Rainbooms went off to practice on their own? Hopefully, the others would be okay. The Dazzlings may decide to leave them alone out of fear that their true intentions would be exposed. That's when I began to think about what they were truly after. Those girls had gone to an awful lot of trouble setting all of this up just to feed on negative energy. They could have clearly gone elsewhere for their food--though I'm glad they didn't, because I doubt anyone else could have stopped them--but they chose to remain here. What was it about CHS that attracted them here in the first place? Could it be the Equestrian magic my friends possessed? That had been a theory of mine for some time, yet I never took it into serious consideration until now.

Turning the next corner, I found myself in the same hallway where I confronted Princess Twilight when I figured out who she really was. The ceiling light was still shorting out from time to time. Being back here brought back painful memories of what happened before, when I ridiculed Her Highness for things beyond her control. I was about to head back the other way when I heard the sound of chattering coming from the next corner in front of me. It was the Dazzlings! They were coming this way and I now had the chance to confront them! A part of me wanted to run away, as I felt unsafe without my friends to back me up. The vast majority of my subconscious insisted on staying and facing them head-on.

" Well, well, well... Look at who we have here to greet us, girls." Adagio said as she and her companions noticed me.

" I knew it was you three making that noise." I said.

" Sorry! I was just reminding my sisters that I never got to have those tacos this past Tuesday, and I guess I was a bit too loud." Sonata said. What in the world was she talking about? I looked towards her two companions, both of whom having slapped their foreheads in frustration. Also, what did she mean by "sisters"? Were these three related to each other? They never mentioned that during the tour. Sonata then looked at both Adagio and... What was the name of the other one? Right, Aria. She looked at both Adagio and Aria before looking towards me. " At least you didn't slap your face when I mentioned Taco Tuesday. They do that all the time."

" Because you just showed all of us that you have no idea what's going on." Aria said.

" Oh yeah? I know exactly what's going on." Sonata said.

" That's a good one!" Aria snorted.

" Would you two stop doing that!" I snapped, which caught all three girls by surprise. It caught me by surprise as well. Normally, Adagio would be the one to get those two back in line, from what I experienced during previous encounters, yet I was compelled to speak on her behalf. I don't know why I suddenly felt uncomfortable, but I quickly bowed my head slightly before apologizing for saying something out of turn.

" Just this once, I'll let that slide." Adagio said. It sounded like she was okay with me having spoken out like that, but I had to remain cautious. She could change her mind, which would put me in even more trouble, so I made certain to check that I had an escape route in case things spiraled out of control. " Anyway, we were heading back to the gym; we're set to perform after Trixie. After all, we're the only band in the competition who have yet to go on stage. But enough about that. I'm surprised that you would be here on your own instead of with your friends. Tell me, are they having problems dealing with all of that tension between them?"

" How would you know that?" I asked, pretending to be ignorant.

" Your friend--Twilight Sparkle, if I recall--just had an argument with someone she happens to be quite smitten over. The three of us chose not to interfere, as it wasn't our place to get involved in someone else's love life. No doubt in my mind that she is going to become more difficult for the rest of your friends to work with. Her emotions are bound to cause even more problems." Adagio answered. Princess Twilight and the others must have run into Flash Sentry and his band. Judging from Adagio's words, Flash must have been awful to her, the result of the Dazzlings' dark magic twisting his mind. I knew that was going to happen! Another reminder that I should have gone with my friends instead of staying behind.

" You're never gonna get away with this." I said.

" With what, pray tell?" Adagio asked.

" I'm well aware of what you three really are." I answered.

" We could say the same thing." Adagio said.

" So you know that I was once a pony from Equestria?" I asked.

" It didn't take us very long to figure that out along with the fact that Twilight Sparkle also happens to be a pony. You're just a mere unicorn, while she is an alicorn, which makes her your superior in every way. You wish that you could become an alicorn like her, but it will never happen because of a certain incident called the Fall Formal." Adagio answered. How did they know so much about me? They couldn't have learned all of that just by talking to other students. Could they? I suddenly felt sick to my stomach because she was reminding me of what I did back then. I had to remain focused, otherwise I could fall prey to whatever schemes they had up their sleeves.

" How did you figure that out?" I asked.

" We overheard many students talking about how they bully you because of how you bullied them. We also sensed you were different from the other students, as you have the stench of Equestrian magic all about you. Or rather, you had it until it was taken away by Twilight Sparkle. Oh, we know all about you, Sunset Shimmer. You've got quite the reputation at Canterlot High. You used to strike fear into everyone's hearts, but now you're nothing more than a shell of your former self. And now, where you failed at the final hurdle, the three of us will succeed!" Adagio answered.

" Quite confidant, aren't you?" I asked.

" Considering how far we've come, we have every right to be." Adagio answered.

" And I wouldn't worry about me. I'm in a much better place, now." I said.

" Waiting in the wings while your friends have all the fun?" Aria asked.

" Oh, yes, you girls are so tight. And yet, they didn't ask you to be in the band." Adagio answered.

" No, they asked me if I wanted to join, but I refused because I couldn't play any instrument. No problem." I said. My response certainly killed their momentum, but what I didn't realize was that I had given them an opportunity to strike me down, simply having to alter their plan a bit.

" Well, that was awkward." Aria said.

" Not to worry. We have other methods at our disposal. We still stand by our words that you are missing out on all of the fun, yet we also know that you've been keeping your true feelings bottled up. We've been watching your group ever since we learned our magic had no effect on you. You have quite a lot of emotional baggage, which must surely be weighing you down by now, Sunset Shimmer. You want to relieve yourself of such weight, but you can't, out of fear your friends will lash out at you for wanting them to focus on you instead of the competition." Adagio said. A spot-on description of me ever since Princess Twilight returned, but they clearly weren't aware of what happened beforehand. Then again, they might have been aware about it and simply didn't care.

" Probably afraid no one would want to see them play if she was in the group." Aria said.

" What does that have to do with anything?" I asked.

" Before we came here, everyone at this school had been treating you like dirt. Your friends risked their own reputations by hanging out with someone who used to be their tormentor. I wouldn't be surprised that they've been picked on, as well, just because they're defending you. This competition means a lot to them, especially with what's on the line, so they just couldn't risk you being a part of the experience." Aria answered.

" My friends would never think that!" I shouted.

" How do you know?" Aria asked. I had no response to her question; she had made a valid point. I was only assuming that my friends had been ignoring me since the return of Her Highness. I was giving them the benefit of the doubt. Aria then sauntered forward, knowing I couldn't answer her question, but she quickly moved back upon Adagio's signal. " Looks like I was right. Face it, Sunset Shimmer! You'll never be accepted by your friends! They can never truly forgive you, and their shunning you is proof of that."

" Too bad! So sad!" Sonata said.

" Why, Sonata! Don't you have something more to add?" Adagio asked.

" Yes, I do! You might as well just give up and accept your fate!" Sonata answered.

" How about that? You made sense for once." Aria said sarcastically.

" No! I refuse to accept that kind of fate!" I shouted. Had I really been living a lie this entire time? Had my friends only pretended to forgive me out of pity? These were thoughts I previously assumed I'd conquered, but now it felt as though they had merely been pushed back into the recesses of my subconscious. The Dazzlings' words had reignited those thoughts and left me wondering what was real and what was false.

" You have no other choice! Did you truly think that you could change and be loved? Once a monster, always a monster! You've caused too much pain for these pathetic humans to ever truly forgive you. Even those 'friends' of yours still remember how you hurt them. I wouldn't be surprised if they suddenly turned on you, all because you are someone who can never truly become part of their lives. You're a monster, Sunset Shimmer! Just like the three of us! But unlike you, we'll make sure that everyone remembers what we did forever. If it's any consolation, no one is going to remember you at all by the time we're done. You'll be alone, nothing but your own thoughts for company. A fitting end for someone who lost everything." Adagio said.

" But--" I began.

" Come on, girls! We're done here! We have a song to perform. Let's leave this wretch to wallow in her own misery." Adagio said. The Dazzlings then walked off towards the gym, bumping into me and knocking me down as they passed, their laughter echoing through the hallway. I wanted to follow them, but something in my mind was holding me back. I couldn't stop thinking about it. Were their words true? Was I still a monster despite my efforts to change everyone's perception of me? Did my friends still hesitate to forgive me? They had been fawning over Princess Twilight and treating her with more appreciation than me lately. No! I couldn't allow myself to believe such nonsense. But, what if it wasn't nonsense? What if it was true? Had I been cast aside because I couldn't be trusted? Was the pain I caused impossible to move on from? The Dazzlings wanted me to question my own relationships, and they definitely succeeded.

If I had planned on confronting my friends about my personal problems, I no longer desired to talk about them. How could I after all of that? My trust in them had just gotten much shakier than before. Now I had to struggle with multiple issues. Once I managed to get back onto my feet, I slowly walked back towards the gym. I knew I was going to be nothing more than an outsider to my friends. Instead of basking in the glory with them, I was trapped in the shadows with no hope for escape. Was this truly my fate? I didn't want to know.

---

" I never should have tried to follow the Sirens. Back then, their words really hurt. They dug deep into my insecurities." I said.

" Sunset..." Twilight said.

" After I was defeated at the Fall Formal, I was completely lost within my own heart. I struggled to figure out answers to my questions, until I managed to find them in the form of our friends. The Sirens brought those questions back to me, and I once again struggled to answer them. I tried to keep my emotions in check. I tried so hard not to lose control, but I would end up lashing out anyway in the worst possible way, a way that made everyone--even our friends--question my true nature." I said. Looking back on what happened during the semi-finals, I had been like a ticking time bomb, ready to explode at any moment. While the Rainbooms continued to dominate each round, I just watched, my mind deteriorating further into despair. The Sirens had made it to the final round, having defeating Flash Sentry, and the Rainbooms were up against Trixie and the Illusions for the other coveted spot.

Trixie... I couldn't blame her for what happened next, but I could blame Rainbow Dash for once again bragging about how good she was. If only she could have left her ego behind before the competition began. It would have prevented me from making a complete fool of myself. I also wouldn't have ended up making everyone view me as the girl I used to be instead of who I had struggled to become.

" What are you thinking about, this time?" Twilight asked.

" The Sirens would perform their song, and from there, the elimination rounds began. The Rainbooms were able to make it to the semi-finals, which was expected, but they had to get through Trixie's band in order to meet the Sirens, who had claimed a spot in the finals. It would have been just another contest between Rainbow Dash and Trixie, much like their shred-off, but Rainbow Dash just had to use her most despised trait to complicate matters." I answered.

" You mean her ego, right?" Twilight asked.

" The very same." I answered.

" I can already tell that things were about to get even worse." Twilight said.

Comments

[icecreammac]

Very well done with Sunset's conversation with the Dazzlings. I liked this chapter.

[Jakomi of the Rose]

a cow bell!? Seriously!? That actually qualifies as a musical instrument? The other band member was playing a triangle which made more sense, but still, a cow bell!? Guess anything can become an instrument.

She clearly haven't heard Round one from Red vs Blue.

[Ganondorf8]

6784507

Compared to the other two Sirens, Adagio says a lot more than they do. The movie handled them well enough, but then that time constraint comes up where you wish that more could have been said. I see what I did as giving Adagio more emphasis on why she is their leader, and why if they were to ever be given the chance to reform, she would be the least likely to do so.

6778678

I do take the Equestria Girls comics into account, and in "The Fall of Sunset Shimmer", we see Twilight as a filly with Sunset as what can be described as a teenage pony.

[Nman625]

"Her place was to bask in the glory of being one of those who were going to save everyone from dark magic. My place, on the other hand, was to remain on the sidelines as a lost cause because of my past."

Good line. That really shows off her bitterness well. A good read, though it didn't quite grip me as some previous chapters, but it was still good. I know I started to pay attention once the hallway scene started. That was good. You managed to put more into that scene and clarify and intensify its purpose. Just a side note: Rainbow saying "what possessed you?" sounded sort of off. Enough to make me remember it at least. X) I would keep in mind that Rainbow uses very...er...literal words? I think that's how I want to put it. Anyways! Good read. I'll try to read the next one in a timely fashion. X)