The Other Journal

by Ganondorf8

Chapter 60: Pep Rally

Day: Wednesday
Weather: Sunny
Time: 9:57am

One of my greatest fears became a reality. A human outside of my group of friends had discovered the secret of the Wondercolt statue. Equestria could be threatened by this person were they to walk through the portal, so I confronted them in the hope that they would explain their intentions. They possessed a strange device that reacted to the magic coming from the statue, and while I didn't understand what it meant, I knew it was trouble for my world. They proved to be slippery, easily escaping me. Who could it have been? What was their aim at inspecting the statue? I told my friends about my encounter the following day, and they believed it nothing more than a prank by Crystal Prep to ridicule CHS. I didn't believe someone came here just to humiliate us. Something else was going on, and I had to protect the portal at all costs. Rainbow Dash, in the meantime, revealed her plan to inspire students to believe in our school, yet I wish she had warned us about her use of visuals.

The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
March 2, 2016
Chapter 60: Pep Rally.

" Would this be that pep rally you mentioned a short time ago?" Twilight asked.

" Yes. Rainbow Dash had been planning it for about a week and even managed to get the school's marching band in on it. Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna had scheduled a school assembly that very morning to discuss the Friendship Games, and Rainbow saw it as a perfect opportunity to enact her plan. She did have trouble convincing them to go along with it. They assumed she wasn't being serious about holding a pep rally, but she got them to agree when she mentioned it would involve singing." I answered.

" Singing? I thought pep rallies were more about cheering than singing."

" If you want to get students interested in something they detest, doing so through song can make them forget about the negatives and instead focus on the positives. It was also Rainbow's way of getting attention and trying out a new song she had been working on in her spare time." I answered. It still amazes me that she managed to change everyone's opinion around just by singing a song. Granted, the way her speech started out could've gone better, but she had to be brutally honest in her assessment. I also personally liked how she got the marching band to perform as instruments and backup vocals. I never did get the name of that one student who sang alongside Rainbow, but she was a prominent member of their group.

I didn't like the caricature of my demonic form, however. I had finally broken free of that part of my life, so seeing it again brought back those painful memories. While that monster was an obstacle that got in the way of CHS's future, did they have to make her, and by extension, me, look like a cheap-looking cartoon character? The caricature of the Sirens did look better than mine, but I knew something was wrong about that one. Whoever made those caricatures might want to consider paying closer attention to colours. Adagio was given the wrong colours. Had she been there and saw the caricature of her... I'd rather not think about that. Still, the important thing was the caricature of me and how it reminded me that I wasn't always a model student.

Friendship was something that took me months to finally understand. If not for Princess Twilight, I'd probably still be a bully and making people miserable. I'd also be doing that at another school. Principal Celestia would've kicked me out had I chosen to remain my old self, and the only place that would have accepted me was Crystal Prep. One school would remove a problem that had plagued them for years, and become the problem for another school. I'd gotten pretty good at dispensing words of wisdom regarding the nuances of friendship and teaching others so that they could follow along in my example. Dare I say it? It was possible that I was even better at solving friendship problems than Her Highness, but I doubted that. Princess Twilight had accomplished more here than I could ever hope to achieve.

" Are you daydreaming again?" Twilight asked.

" I was just thinking about this and that."

" Want to share it with me this time, or is it one of those moments that you'll be keeping to yourself?"

" There's a part of it that I can tell you about." I answered. Twilight paused at that. She hadn't expected me to say something like that. Usually, my private thoughts were for me to think about what had gone right and wrong in my life, but there was something I could tell her that didn't reveal anything I wanted to keep hidden. " I've gotten pretty good at solving friendship problems. I'll admit that I'm no where near as good as Her Highness, but I'd like to think I'm aware of what goes into figuring out the underlying issues that exist between people." I said.

" You never mentioned anything about being a friendship solver." Twilight said.

" The thought never crosses my mind all that much. Helping Trixie overcome her jealousy towards me and her fierce rivalry with Rainbow Dash gave me the confidence to solve similar problems. I did manage to get everyone at school back together again by exposing the identities of Anon-A-Miss." I said.

" Then what do you do in your spare time, aside from trying to solve the magic problem?"

" Trying to figure out my place in this world."

" You, too?"

" Once I let friendship into my heart, and experienced all of the new joys and sensations that go along with it, I was stuck at a crossroads. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. Part of me wanted to go back home to Equestria to live in peace, while the other part insisted I remained here as a human. Aside from Princess Twilight and Princess Celestia, I have no attachments towards my fellow ponies, unless you consider resentment because of how messed up I was." I answered.

" Did you ever find an answer to what you wanted to do?"

" No, I'm still working on that one, too." I answered. The more I thought about it, the more I sounded like someone who was cursed to find answers to questions that proved almost impossible. Was Her Highness always this conflicted with her life? That's something I should ask her the next time I see her. Why do I have all this pressure? That's an easy one to answer. I can only blame myself for making poor decisions in the past. Those choices have since reflected the kind of person people see me as and will continue to shape my life for many years to come. " Twilight? Have you figured out what you want to do?" I asked.

" My plan is to become a famous scientist known throughout the world for uncovering the great mysteries of the world. I know that coming to CHS might be viewed as a roadblock, considering that attending Crystal Prep did guarantee me a shot at the best university around, yet I'll still get to where I want to go by doing what I did before, just with friendship to guide me along. Don't you have plans for after high school?" Twilight asked.

That was a surprise question no one had ever asked me before. I had been so busy trying to figure out the magic problem, finding my own place in this world, struggling with my feelings towards going back home, and competing for CHS in the Friendship Games. I had an answer to her question, but I knew she wasn't going to like it. Since I have no official records to confirm my existence, I have no means of getting into any college or university like everyone else. Money was another issue, yet I think the lack of documentation was my greatest enemy. Twilight began looking my way with curiosity. She wanted me to answer her question, but she couldn't know the truth. It pained me to have to deceive her, but then, she might have already figured out that I don't have the same opportunities our friends have.

" Not right now, but I think you know why. After all, I did mention it when I explained why I had to live in the library." I answered. Twilight blinked twice before cringing, the memory coming to her. She tried to offer her condolences by giving me a hug, but I refused, saying that it was something I'd figure out eventually. For now, I wanted to focus on the journal and what I was going to tell her next. " Anyway, to get back on track, the pep rally was something none of us were expecting; we all assumed it was another assembly. I remember how morbid everyone felt. Crystal Prep were coming the next day, and no one, aside from Rainbow Dash, were looking forward to the Games." I said.

" I thought you and our friends were excited. Did your opinions change since joining the team?" Twilight asked.

" Despite agreeing to try out, we still had our doubts over the whole thing. We all knew Crystal Prep had students who were superior to us and that our chances of defeating them were slim to none. Rainbow maintained her positive attitude, and her pep rally plan was meant to give us the confidence we needed. It worked really well; everyone joined in on the singing once she had sung a couple of choruses." I answered.

" Was it easy for Rainbow to get everyone motivated?"

" Not exactly."

" How come?"

" There's one thing she isn't good at, and that's giving a motivational speech."

" I don't understand."

" You will once we get to the end of this part."

---

I couldn't get that image out of my mind. Someone outside of my group of friends had discovered the true nature of the portal. While they didn't try to go through it and wind up in Equestria, the damage had already been done. No one was to know that an innocent statue connected to a world filled with magic and talking ponies. It might not have been my duty to prevent anyone from going through the portal, yet I found myself adopting it anyway. Equestria was frequently plagued with problems and didn't need a sudden invasion from humans added on top of that. My standing back home was most likely in jeopardy because of what I did in the past, and allowing humans to slip past me and into Equestria would just make me look even worse. If that person hadn't run away from me, I could've grabbed that device and shattered it to pieces. I knew that sounded cruel, but I couldn't allow Equestria's national security to be compromised.

Their device had proven curious to me, however. I had dabbled in building inventions, and what they used had definitely been built from scratch. Whether they had built it themselves or were given it by someone else remained a mystery. It had left me feeling inadequate about my own skills. My invention--that Rainbow Dash destroyed--failed to analyze magical energies--even my own--yet this person's device was able to detect the magic coming from the portal without any trouble. I wasn't dealing with an average student but rather someone whose intellect vastly exceeded most other people's. My own intellect was inferior compared to them.

Was what my friends said true? Was this person from Crystal Prep? Did they come here to pull a prank on CHS? Was this Crystal Prep's method of psyching us out before the Games had even begun? I could easily believe the first question. I knew everyone at CHS, and that person who came by the other day was clearly not from around this part of Canterlot. The second question was just ludicrous. They were focused on the statue and nothing more. If they had intended on pulling a prank, they would have done that the moment they arrived instead of analyzing anything. The third question proved difficult to come to a definitive conclusion about. Crystal Prep were clearly dominant in the school district according to what I've been told, so relying on mental warfare seemed almost beneath their notice. Then again, they could've been secretly afraid that CHS had become more powerful than they initially suspected. That would prompt them into intimidating us by sending someone to check out the competition--without resorting to spying, unlike a certain other girl.

So many questions and very few answers. I had hoped that the Friendship Games would be a fun competition between two vastly different schools, yet it turned out to be a battle to determine who would survive. It was like the previous problems all over again, only without magic playing a huge factor.

In the meantime, Rainbow Dash had told all of us that she had a plan to help deal with Crystal Prep's dominance over the Games. While I admired her tenacity, her plans left something to be desired. Most of the time, they backfired, with her being the unfortunate victim. It was because Rainbow wanted everything to come her way immediately. She had no patience for waiting! She did have an uphill battle on her hands, however. While she and the rest of the athletes on the Wondercolts were thrilled about competing, that attitude sadly didn't reflect in the hearts of everyone else. Deep down, the Wondercolts--excluding Rainbow--weren't entirely confident about their abilities. We had been training for the past couple of weeks to prepare for Crystal Prep's Shadowbolts, yet was it even going to make a difference? Whatever her plan was, it needed to bring about a positive outlook. I personally felt that morale would hit an all-time low, though, were we to be utterly humiliated.

Later that morning, Principal Celestia asked all of the students to gather in the gym for an assembly. My friends and I sat in the middle of the bleachers, and already, I could tell students weren't thrilled about being there. It was blatantly obvious just by looking at the expressions on their faces that they knew why they were there. It was an assembly made to remind them that Crystal Prep would be arriving at CHS the next day for the Games. To the students, it was one day of doom and gloom before being obliterated by the competition in spectacular fashion. I also noticed that there weren't as many students in attendance as usual. Had many of them decided not to attend the assembly? I didn't blame them for not wanting to be there to be reminded of the school's eternal shame. Those who did show up didn't want to be there either, yet Principal Celestia insisted on them coming. I knew she was doing everything in her power to keep them interested in a school tradition that had lost its way.

" As I am sure you all know, tomorrow, Canterlot High School will be hosting our fellow students from Crystal Prep Academy as we join together in the spirit of excellence, sportsmanship, and fidelity to compete in the Friendship Games." Principal Celestia announced. Response to her announcement was met with unenthusiastic claps and hardly any cheering from students. I looked around and saw most were already bored, and the assembly had only just gotten started. I knew they didn't like the thought of being beaten yet again, but I didn't think it would be that bad. " Yes, I'm fully aware that the Games aren't considered as exciting as they once were, but you should still feel proud knowing that we've kept the tradition going for so many years."

" Why should we feel proud?"

" Yeah!"

" Crystal Prep beats us all the time, and you want us to be happy with tradition!?"

" We should just leave before we lose our minds with all the reminders that we lose."

" Now, now, everyone! There's no need for that kind of talk." Principal Celestia said.

" I'm afraid you're already losing them, dear sister." Vice Principal Luna said. I might have been sitting on the bleachers, and the two sisters were standing on the stage a fair distance away, yet I was able to hear everything they said between themselves. My hearing was pretty good--better than what most humans were capable of--thanks in part to my originally being a pony. " Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea after all. You and I both know how upset students get whenever the Friendship Games come around. Sometimes, I wonder why we bother having it against Crystal Prep still. They have defeated our school every time since the Games were first started decades ago, so you can imagine how much anger and frustration the students possess."

" How do you think I feel about it, Luna?" Principal Celestia asked.

" You bear the brunt of it more than I."

" As principal of this school, I wanted to remind the students of the true importance behind the Games. It's just that Crystal Prep have taken that importance out by changing the focus into one where winning is all that matters. Principal Cinch may have an elite team on her side, but that's no excuse for wanting to be cruel just to win a competition. If I had decided to not have the Games, she would've ridiculed my students, calling them cowards for not wanting to compete. Worse still, the entire school district would label me a coward, as well, by walking away instead of accepting an undignified defeat." Principal Celestia said.

" You can blame Cinch for that."

" She knows exactly what to do to make sure she's always on top."

" Why does the school board not take action?"

" How can they? Despite how she treats her students, she hasn't done anything illegal."

" Then we are at a loss."

" Yes, little sister. There isn't much I can do other than maintain a positive attitude." Principal Celestia said. I felt terrible that she had to endure that kind of pain all because of another principal flexing her muscles. I knew about the kinds of things committed by Cinch from what the two sisters discussed when I waited to speak with Celestia about taking those portraits of me down. How could anyone like that be a principal of a respected academic institution? Perhaps the Friendship Games might not have happened had Cinch been exposed much sooner. That way, the nightmare we all experienced at the end wouldn't have become a reality. " I must get the students interested once again in the Games despite their negativity. We are fortunate one of them decided to take matters into her own hands." Principal Celestia said.

" Are you sure we can trust Rainbow Dash to bring a positive influence?"

" She can be very passionate, but I think she knows what she is doing. We both agreed to her proposal, after all."

" Yes. I am surprised that she was able to get them to assist her."

" It should prove to be most entertaining."

" We still have one other issue to deal with.

" Once this assembly is over, we shall make sure they know that they must keep that under control." Principal Celestia said. I didn't know who she was referring to, but then, I couldn't quite make it out entirely. The students had gotten rowdy, and order needed to be enforced to prevent the assembly from spiraling out of control. " Alright! Everyone please settle down. There is no need for such hostility towards a tradition this school has held for decades. Since the games only happen every four years, I'm sure you're all curious what goes on."

Every four years!? I was lead to believe that it occurred, at the longest, every two years based on what I had heard around school those past few weeks. It made sense that it was something that occurred infrequently. When I first came to this world, I missed the previous Friendship Games, and the students never complained. Why would they? Crystal Prep had defeated CHS on their home turf last time, and the students simply wanted to forget it ever happened. I felt guilty over making them feel worse when I began my rise to power. Had I known of their prior humiliation, I wouldn't have been so horrible. Then again, if I hadn't cared only about power back then, I could've strove to make them feel better.

When Principal Celestia mentioned "four years", it reminded me of the Equestria Games again. Those were also held every four years, yet the location wasn't confined to just two locations that interchanged. Cities all across Equestria were eligible to become a host city and were chosen based on the opinion of the Games Inspector. I never met her in person, but I was told stories about how Ms. Harshwhinny--appropriate name for one with her attitude--was harsh towards organizing committees who wanted their city to become the host. The only ponies she never berated were members of the royal family. The Equestria Games were a major event in Equestria, yet the Friendship Games was just a competition between two schools who were vying for prestige.

" You mean other than us losing!?" Flash Sentry announced, his voice echoed across the gym, prompting me to look in his direction. He had been sitting close by to where I was, and his words caught me by surprise. I didn't think he'd resort to such childishness, but then, like everyone else, he didn't feel confident about beating Crystal Prep. If it was any consolation, I actually agreed with his little outburst, but I refrained from telling Rainbow Dash.

" Yes, Flash! I know CHS has lost every time." Principal Celestia said.

" We know what happens behind the scenes. We've studied the previous Games and the athletes' humiliation. Their spirits, their dignity, all crushed by the Shadowbolts with no mercy. I know CHS has a team to take them on, but can we really defeat them knowing how inexperienced we are? They live and breathe competition! They strive for perfection above all else!" Flash said.

" An astute observation."

" Are we in over our heads?"

" I believe someone wishes to address those concerns."

" You got a student to give us a pep talk!?"

" That is exactly why I've asked Rainbow Dash to come up and give you all a little, um... context." Principal Celestia announced. I noticed that Rainbow Dash had disappeared from where we were sitting in a group. She had apparently made her way down to the stage without anyone noticing her and walked onto it to the cheers of no one. She didn't allow their lack of applause to bring her down. Before addressing the students, Rainbow walked over to the curtain, which was closed for some reason, and peaked into it. Someone was standing back there, and it looked like she told them to wait for something to happen. Was this part of her plan? " Well, Rainbow Dash? The stage is now yours, so I hope that what you have planned will prove effective." Principal Celestia said. She handed over her microphone, and she and Vice Principal Luna stepped to the side, leaving Rainbow standing alone on stage.

" Thank you, Principal Celestia." Rainbow Dash said, clearing her throat before continuing. " Okay, we all heard what Flash had to say, so now it's my turn! I know a lot of you might think there's no way we can beat a fancy school like Crystal Prep at anything, right? Wrong! They're not so tough! We've always lost to them because we lacked confidence in ourselves to win. We've gotta get rid of that thought in our heads and come out fighting! Just because Crystal Prep has the best resources in the city, they've already won before the Games have even begun, right? Wrong! That don't mean anything!"

" Are you sure about that?" Pinkie Pie asked.

" Of course I am!"

" They've beaten us in all competitions, you know."

" Okay, so they're tough. Doesn't matter! We can take 'em! Besides, they haven't beaten us in everything. We've had our victories over them, so that's gotta count for something, right?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Unless it's a 'losing to Crystal Prep' competition! 'Cause we're really good at that!" Pinkie Pie answered. Rainbow slapped her head before turning her attention towards another group of students. So far, her efforts to get students excited for the Games wasn't going over very well. No one was interested, because they believed the same result was going to happen once again. They believed it was their fate to be schooled by Crystal Prep every time. Whatever she had planned, it might not work out if things continued like they did.

" And I know that CHS has never won the Friendship Games even once."

" Oh, dear. I hope this speech isn't meant to be motivational." Rarity said.

" You think it sounds like one?" I asked.

" Rainbow Dash certainly has a lot of heart, darling, but her execution leaves much to be desired. If she wanted to get everyone excited for the Games, her choice of words aren't going to get her any sympathy." Rarity answered.

" I kind of feel bad for not being up on stage and supporting her."

" We all have the same feeling, Sunset, but you can't deny the fact that CHS has never beaten Crystal Prep and hoisted the trophy. Students over the years at this school have had to watch them brag about their dominance, and it got to a point where they just no longer cared. If you want my opinion, students of Crystal Prep are just so vulgar and arrogant over how they think of themselves as better than everyone else." Rarity said.

" Reminds me a lot about how I used to be."

" I didn't mean it like that!"

" I know, but I still think about it."

" Why even relapse into it, darling? You moved on from your past when you got those phoenix wings, so shouldn't that mean you only need to look forward? Or, do you have some kind of lingering regret deep within that festers like an open wound? Gah! How simply dreadful it must be to have on your conscience." Rarity said. Her words, while slightly insulting, were truthful. I still felt guilty about bringing magic into a world that didn't understand it. The magic problem then, in essence, was my own doing, so I had to solve it to fix my own mistake. In a way, I was like Princess Celestia; we both made mistakes we regret. " Sunset? Are you alright?" Rarity asked.

" I'm okay. Just thinking about something, but it's not important." I answered.

Back on the stage, Rainbow Dash looked upset over the lack of enthusiasm coming from students, but she then turned to face the curtain. If I didn't know better, I could've sworn that a pair of eyes looked back at her. I already figured out someone was back there, but was there more than one? My answer came within the next few seconds.

" Crystal Prep students are super athletic, super smart, and super motivated. But there's one thing they aren't. They aren't Wondercolts!" Rainbow Dash said. As she spoke, the sounds of instruments came from behind the curtain. I thought she had hired some musicians, but I quickly concluded that it was the school's marching band. The curtain opened up, and there they were, each member playing a different instrument, except for one. She was their leader, providing vocals and twirling a baton. Was this Rainbow's plan? To sing a song aimed to encourage students?

" We've fought magic more than once

And come out on top." Rainbow Dash sang.

I didn't interact all that much with the marching band, so I couldn't describe my feelings about the kind of students they were. Since they were professionals, they weren't allowed to compete in the Battle of the Bands late last year. It wouldn't have been fair for the others if a truly dedicated band were in the running to be the best. I'll admit that their musical skills were pretty impressive, though.

" Is she really singing a song?" Rarity asked.

" It looks like it." I answered.

" There's other schools, but none can make those claims." Rainbow Dash sang.

" Na, na-na-na-na, oh!" The marching band's leader had good vocals as well, yet it sounded like multiple students were singing instead of just her. Was there some kind of special effect being used? Or, were some of the other students in the bleachers singing along? I quickly looked around to find out, and everyone was simply staring at what was happening on stage. No one had expected Rainbow to come up with a pep rally song.

" Together we are Canterlot,

Come and cheer our name."

" Oh, oh!"

" This will be our year to win these games." she continued.

" So this was her plan, was it?" Rarity asked.

" Rainbow did say she wanted to get everyone on board for the Friendship Games, and this is definitely one way to go about it. I've got to admit that this was actually a well-thought-out plan, considering they usually don't work as intended. It must have taken them weeks to get the choreography perfected." I answered.

" I'm surprised she didn't ask us to be her backup."

" Maybe we were in her original plans, but she decided to go with something with a bit more oomph?" I asked. I didn't really know how to best answer Rarity, so I came up with something on the spot without thinking about it. The Rainbooms could've been her backup, but then, we all sang together as a group. Rainbow's song had been designed for her to be the sole singer, with occasional vocals from the band leader. As I didn't have any animosity for not being asked, I wasn't going to hold it against her. Besides, it gave me an opportunity to see how far Rainbow had come since those days where singing solo caused her ego to flare up.

Looking back at the stage, Rainbow Dash jumped down from the stage and began parading about with the marching band following her. She continued singing her song, but my mind was focused on how well-coordinated they all were. It made sense now why she didn't need us to perform her song. Pinkie's drums weren't mobile, so lugging them around was impossible. Applejack's bass was slightly heavy, and while she was capable of lugging it around, Rainbow probably didn't want her to strain a muscle. I quickly turned to the lower steps of the bleachers, and saw Vinyl Scratch, who was sitting there with a laptop on her lap. At least, I thought it was a laptop. I couldn't tell from my position.

She then inserted a plug into it that suddenly amped up the volume through speakers located on the ceiling. Was she involved in the song as well? Or, had she somehow anticipated Rainbow's intentions and wanted to get in on the action? Either way, Rainbow's song gained momentum, and everyone couldn't look away from what was happening. That's when I noticed students sitting on the bleachers opposite where we were sitting. They were holding pieces of cardboard in two 9 x 9 squares with the Wondercolt insignia spread across the pieces, and I immediately recognized what they were doing. I had to give props to Rainbow for coming up with such extra detail to get her point across.

" We're not the school we were before." Rainbow Dash sang.

" Before!"

" Yeah, we're different now!"

" Oh, oh!"

" Hey, hey!"

" We overcame the obstacles we faced!"

" Overcame the obstacles we faced."

The first set of squares turned around, and my heart sank when I saw the image of my demonic form with Princess Twilight's crown below. I had different emotions running through my head that ranged between anger, annoyance, sadness, pity, acceptance, and confusion--the last was because I knew they didn't get the proportions correct. That's what happens with caricatures; they aren't accurate. The other squares flipped over to reveal the Sirens in their true forms along with their pendants, and it was obvious something was wrong. Adagio's colours were incorrect, along with Sonata's. Aria's colours appeared correct from where I was sitting, but I suspected they were wrong as well.

It had been some time since they left CHS after they were exposed as monsters, yet I still remembered their names. I still believed that they would return one day and change their lives for the better, just as I had done. Would they take that chance? Only the Sirens knew that answer.

" Are you okay, Sunset?" Applejack asked.

" Why do you ask?"

" Y'all seem mighty riled up when those students revealed that there picture of your demon form. I know you got over that a few months ago, yet I reckon seeing that opened up some old wounds you'd rather remain closed." Applejack answered.

" Yeah! I know Rainbow Dash wanted to remind everyone of the magical problems that plagued this school, but did she have to use my demonic form, even if it is just a caricature? I'd have preferred she just went with the crown with my eyes looking down on it. I know it wouldn't be the same, but everyone knows what I did, so this little stunt doesn't do me much good with my confidence." I said.

" Want to talk to her about it?"

" No. I know she didn't mean to bring it up."

" Alright, but if you change your mind, we'll be there for you."

" Thanks."

" We're Canterlot united,

And we'll never bow,

So get ready to see us in first place!

We'll always be Wondercolts forever,

(Three! Two! One! Go!)

And now our time has finally arrived.

(Our time is now!)

'Cause we believe in the magic of friendship,

And you know, at the end of the day, it is we who survive,

At the end of the day, it is we who survive!" Rainbow Dash sang.

During the chorus, the marching band leader twirled her baton at the audience, and suddenly, a parade of pony ears were tossed their way. Students grabbed them and put them on as a sign of unity. Even Trixie got in on the action, and Rainbow personally put pony ears on her head. That was a sign that their rivalry had truly come to an end. Rainbow's song gave everyone the confidence they needed to defeat Crystal Prep, yet it was the team itself who felt the most pressure. We were the ones going up against the Shadowbolts, so if anyone needed a positive attitude, it was us. I supposed having the students cheer us gave us the attitude needed to bring our A game.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of students singing and clapping. I then noticed Principal Celestia clapping along, as well, out of the corner of my eye. While I felt an urge to go along with the crowd, I chose not to, because something else suddenly happened. Rainbow Dash walked back to the stage and climbed onto it, but then she started glowing, and I immediately recognized it as what I experienced when those phoenix wings appeared on my back. Without warning, Rainbow started to pony up before taking to the air. How did she manage to do that? In the past, we always ponied up by playing our instruments. Did this mean I wasn't the only one going through an unusual transition?

Just when I thought I could relax and not worry about the magic problem, it suddenly took on a new form.

---

" You decided not to confront Rainbow Dash about that caricature?" Twilight asked.

" I changed my mind after the song was over." I answered.

" Really?"

" I mulled over it for a few minutes, and I concluded that Applejack was right. Rainbow should've consulted me before asking someone to draw my demonic form. After the song ended and the students left the gym, we all went backstage to congratulate her for inspiring everyone." I answered.

" What did you say to her?"

" You'll find out soon enough. I do recall writing down what I said to her in my journal." I answered. I also recall that it was a heated confrontation. Rainbow obviously didn't mean to remind me of what I did back during the Fall Formal, yet she should've known that it would hurt me. Just because I said that I got over my past doesn't mean that I actually did. Even now, there are lingering reminders of my past swirling around this school. Something that has been there for so long doesn't just go away overnight. It takes a long time for it to finally fade away from memory. Sometimes, it never goes away and becomes a haunting presence.

While Rainbow and I didn't lunge at each other's throats, there was some animosity between us. It quickly dissipated when the subject focused on what happened when the song reached its end.

I quickly looked in Twilight's direction. She had turned away from me and was writing something down on her notepad. Surely she was going to ask me about the unusual pony-up Rainbow experienced during the song. I know it was going to be her next question. So why was she just writing away? I was afraid to see what she was writing. After a few tense minutes of waiting, Twilight turned to face me.

" Curious about what I wrote down?"

" Yeah."

" I was just writing down a mathematical equation for a future test." Twilight said. She had put me on edge for an equation? I should've known she was focusing on her studies again, but why didn't she just up and tell me? Why put me through so much pressure? " Sorry if I didn't say anything, Sunset, but it was a really important equation, and I needed to concentrate on it so I wouldn't forget. Anyway, you mentioned that Rainbow Dash ponied up without playing her guitar? How did that happen? I thought your instruments were necessary to cause the transformation?" I felt annoyed at how she left me to sweat like that, but I suppose she could be forgiven for it. I patted her on the shoulder, indicating that her apology was accepted, yet I needed a moment to think about her question.

" We always believed that was the secret behind our pony-ups."

" And yet?"

" All we were doing was going with random guesswork. None of us had any clue as to how it all worked, so this sudden revelation caught us off guard. My transformation several months prior, and now Rainbow's sudden pony up. Everything was getting more confusing by the moment with regards to the magic problem." I answered.

" Did Princess Twilight have anything to say about it?"

" She wasn't responding to my messages."

" Yes. I learned as such from what you and Her Highness were talking about when she came through the portal."

" There was one other problem."

" What's that?"

" Rainbow Dash ponying up came at a major inconvenience for us. If it had happened after the Friendship Games or in private, we could've taken the time to figure it out on our own, but everyone witnessed what happened. Vice Principal Luna had some choice words for us after everyone left the gym. It made me feel very uncomfortable knowing that she demanded us to keep the magic under control." I answered.

---

What in the world had I just witnessed at the end of that song? Did Rainbow Dash pony up without playing her guitar? Impossible! There was no way she could've done that, but she did, and that introduced a new slew of problems. While my friends were excited about that, I felt worried that something was happening to Rainbow. The magic in this world had just gotten more difficult to understand than before. I knew that this sudden revelation was going to cause us trouble. I quickly looked at Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna. Both were chatting amongst themselves while looking in my direction every now and again. They were concerned about the magic. There was no other explanation for how they looked at me with distrust.

I had thought about what Rainbow had done showing the caricature of my demonic form. Why did she do that knowing I was going to be affected by it? I feared that students were going to look at me with hatred in their eyes. While they had forgiven me for what happened, they could still be harbouring some resentment that had been dormant within their minds. Forgiveness was easy enough to achieve, but forgetting is something different altogether. I decided to confront Rainbow and get some answers. Her cause might have been noble, but it came at the price of reminding me of all the torment I inflicted on so many lives.

Once everyone else had left the gym, my friends and I walked to the back of the stage, and we saw Rainbow Dash waving to the marching band's leader. Only Applejack knew what I was going to do, so she made sure that I was in front of everyone. Rarity and Fluttershy were too fixated on the positive energy that came from Rainbow's song, and Pinkie was in one of her happy moods, so she didn't notice. Once Rainbow turned around to face us, she was standing face to face with me, and I wasn't happy one bit.

" Whoa, Sunset! Why are you giving me such a dirty look?" Rainbow Dash asked.

" Care to explain to me why you used that caricature of my demonic form?" I asked.

" Oh, that. Heh. The thing is, I wanted everyone to know that we overcame your alter ego."

" Did you even take my feelings into consideration?"

" Huh? What are you talking about?"

" Unbelievable! I should've known you'd pull a stunt like that without knowing what it would do to me. Seeing that caricature has reopened some old wounds I was able to finally forget about after tormenting myself for so long. Now I have to get those thoughts out of my head. I may have reformed, but that doesn't mean I'm completely in the clear. There's no telling if I might suddenly relapse and seek out that power again." I answered. I admit that I was overreacting, but I wanted to get my point across to Rainbow Dash. She didn't care that my feelings got hurt by that image. All she cared about was winning the Friendship Games. My temper began boiling deep within me, but I breathed several times in order to calm down again. " I'm very upset with what you did, Rainbow. I thought you would understand what I went through. Maybe you care too much about beating Crystal Prep. Maybe you've become obsessed with beating them."

" Hey! That's not true!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

" Then why torment me like that?"

" I... I didn't mean to."

" You should've consulted me first."

" Yeah, maybe I should've, but I really wanted to get everyone pumped for the Friendship Games. You all saw how down they all were. I needed to get them motivated, and that meant reminding them that CHS has overcome the odds by beating magical forces from another world. One of them was you, I know, but the point is that we saved the school from being conquered by monsters." Rainbow Dash said. I glared at her with a look that could freeze a venomous snake in its tracks, and she backed away slightly. She knew she had made a big mistake and allowed her desire to win to get in the way of knowing the truth. Rainbow then began scratching her head in hopes of finding a way out of this mess, and I knew that she was struggling to reach a definitive answer. Our friends made sure not to get involved, and I had Applejack to thank for that. She raised her hand when Rarity tried getting involved, stopping her in the process.

" I'm not going to end our friendship over this Rainbow, but you need to be more responsible with and for your actions. You need to understand everyone's perspective about a problem before you suddenly go and do something about it. If I had been told ahead of time, we wouldn't be having this conversation." I said.

" That's a relief."

" And...?"

" Oh, right. I'm sorry for doing that without telling you. Guess I did get carried away a little bit."

" More like a lot, but I'll forgive you."

" Thanks."

" Um, is it okay to change the subject now?" Fluttershy asked. We all turned our eyes towards her, and she quickly stepped behind Applejack. I had gotten so engrossed in giving Rainbow Dash a piece of my mind that I completely forgot about why we came backstage. I walked over to Fluttershy and told her it was okay, so she shifted out from her hiding place and moved some hair away from her face before continuing. " Rainbow Dash, that was amazing! Even I feel like we can win!"

" I feel like my school pride is at an all-time high!" Rarity added.

" That's great and all, but there's just one little problem that makes all o' this fishy." Applejack said.

" And what's that?" Fluttershy asked.

" What we all saw happen at the end of that song."

" Oh, um, I guess we should be concerned about what happened."

" Is anybody else wonderin' how Dash ponied up without playin' her guitar? I know I wasn't the only one who saw that happen." Applejack said. The entire school witnessed it, yet they didn't freak out or anything. Because students had seen us pony up during times of crisis, they had gotten used to the spectacle. However, that wasn't true about those from beyond the school, who didn't know about the magic swirling about this place. That was a concern we needed to be wary about. The two magic problems did unleash powerful bursts of magic that were seen for miles away, and it caused people to start snooping around trying to uncover the truth.

" I know, right? It's probably because I'm so awesome!" Rainbow Dash said.

" Ya reckon that's accurate?" Applejack asked me.

" Maybe, but there's got to be more to it than that." I answered.

" What do you mean?"

" It just seemed so random to me. When I experimented on you girls, you all ponied up like normal, and nothing unusual happened. Perhaps I would've noticed something had my device been built with better parts rather than pieces of junk I found all over the place. Coupled with what happened to me, I have this feeling that our magic might be undergoing some kind of transition." I answered.

" Is that what happens with Equestrian magic?"

" No. Magic in Equestria never changes of its own volition. It can only be changed if the caster decides to alter it. What happened with me and Rainbow wasn't natural by any means." I answered.

" Well, it would be nice if you girls could get a handle on it."

I almost jumped out of my skin when Vice Principal Luna announced that. I had no idea she was even standing behind me, and neither did my friends. We were so focused on trying to understand what happened to Rainbow Dash, we didn't notice she walked up to us. I turned around to face Vice Principal Luna, and the expression on her face was obvious: She had approached us to talk about the magic problem. She and Principal Celestia had been worried about it since we tried out for the team, and Rainbow Dash ponying up forced their hand.

" Whatever do you mean?" I asked.

" Please don't try to play dumb with me. I am well aware of the special abilities you girls possess. While I still have my doubts, what happened on stage earlier proves that we have a serious problem that must be taken care of before Crystal Prep arrives tomorrow." Vice Principal Luna answered.

" I didn't mean to question your intellect."

" Not everyone is as gifted as you are, but trying to cover up something everyone has witnessed is simply unacceptable."

" I'm sorry."

" My sister and I have been discussing how to approach this problem, and we have come to a conclusion, which is why I am here. We have no desire of removing the six of you from the Wondercolts. You each proved yourselves worthy, and without the use of magic, but I'm afraid the situation has gotten to the point where drastic measures must be implemented to prevent future issues. We'd like to keep magic as far away from the Friendship Games as possible. We don't want to be accused of cheating. I know none of you would ever stoop that low, but Crystal Prep is unaware that you possess 'unique' capabilities." Vice Principal Luna said.

" So, we should refrain from using it?" I asked.

" Correct. Principal Cinch would like nothing more than to accuse my sister of relying on an unfair advantage, so it's best that option doesn't materialize. I know you girls rely on your magic to bring about miracles around here, but this time, you must keep it under control at all times." Vice Principal Luna answered.

" We don't need magic to defeat those hoity-toity Crystal Preppers." Rarity announced. The rest of my friends began cheering in agreement, but I wasn't so sure, so I kept quiet. None of us had been successful in mastering our magic, simply because it proved too unpredictable. Playing our instruments helped keep it under lock and key, yet we couldn't compete in the Friendship Games while holding onto them. The Shadowbolts would just laugh at us, and Principal Celestia would be humiliated. Since we had no control, there was no telling when we'd unleash our magic. It could happen during the Games or in-between events. The thought of us ponying up in front of Crystal Prep was too devastating to think about.

" Still, the Friendship Games are serious business. Your pep rally has inspired everyone to give it their all, Rainbow Dash. Even my sister and I felt like this could be the year where CHS finally defeats our rivals in a competition they've dominated for decades. As such, we are taking this seriously. No one at this school is going to shy away from supporting you and the rest of the Wondercolts. I know it sounds like I'm giving you unwarranted pressure, but you must understand that our pride hangs in the balance. Anyway, we don't want any magical surprises. Especially the kind that could cause us to forfeit." Vice Principal Luna said.

" What can we do about it?" I asked.

" I was hoping you'd ask that."

" You did?"

" Sunset Shimmer, you came here from a world of magic, correct?"

" Yes."

" Perhaps you can get to the bottom of our magical development. You are the only one around here who knows how this magic works, so it falls onto you to find a solution and prevent Crystal Prep from seeing what cannot be explained. It's most unfortunate that Twilight Sparkle isn't available. Surely, she would have been able to assist you in this monumental task, but we only have you, Sunset Shimmer. I know that you will not fail to keep the magic under control until the Games have concluded." Vice Principal Luna said.

" I'll do my best." I said. Vice Principal Luna turned and walked away, leaving me feeling like a nervous wreck. I had enough pressure to try and figure out the magic problem, but now she had gone and made it my priority to make sure magic didn't appear during the Games. My friends couldn't help me; they didn't have as much knowledge compared to me, though my knowledge paled in comparison to Her Highness. Perhaps Princess Twilight should have been there, not just to provide assistance but to also figure everything out. She was an expert in magic, after all, but she had told me what I should try in an effort to understand the magic.

Understand it... I had no idea how I was going to do that, but I had to find an answer, and quickly. The Friendship Games were less than a day away, so I had very little time to comb over my research to see if I'd overlooked something. Rainbow Dash's ponying up had proven itself to be a hindrance that brought the two sisters down on my neck. Not only that, but the person who snooped around the statue the other day could come back and try it again. Also, my magic along with Rainbow's had begun changing, yet did that mean the others were also capable of the same thing? One problem kept on piling on top of the other, and the weight was pulling me down. What was I going to do?

---

" Wow... I didn't think Vice Principal Luna would force the issue on you like that." Twilight said.

" Rainbow Dash's pep rally succeeded in getting everyone pumped up for the Games, but it also exposed the magic problem as being exactly that. I knew it was going to become an issue during the Games, yet I hoped it wouldn't come up until afterwards. Sometimes, you want something to happen, but it ends up happening in a way that you weren't expecting. All Luna did was add more pressure onto me, and I was already caving under what I had prior." I said.

" Sunset..."

" That's what happens when you're the only magical expert at CHS. It fell onto me to figure everything out. If Princess Twilight had been there, we'd have had two experts pooling their resources together to find an answer, but she had her duties as a princess in Equestria. She couldn't leave those behind in order to come here and solve a problem that I originally created. Okay, that might have been a slight exaggeration on my part, but I was responsible for the recent magic problem." I said.

" What do you mean?"

" The Sirens came to this world long before I did."

" Weren't they banished here by Star Swirl the Bearded, as you called him?"

" Yes. He used the magic mirror that Princess Twilight and I used to send them here. In that sense, Star Swirl introduced magic into this world, but it never amounted to anything serious, so no one ever knew something was wrong. The Sirens were reduced to absorbing small amounts of negative energy to stay alive, so their true magic remained lost to them until I became a demon. Until I became a monster, anyone or anything from Equestria had nothing." I answered.

Twilight scooted over to me and wrapped her arm around my neck. I was expecting her to start crying, but she simply embraced me for a brief moment before scooting back over to her previous spot. She then began writing something down on her notepad again, but I ignored that in favour of looking at the lamp fixture next to my makeshift bed. I do still blame myself for bringing the current iteration of magic into this world. I doubt that Star Swirl had predicted someone like me coming here with the very thing the Sirens needed to regain their lost power. When you really think about it, I was a magnet designed to attract trouble from all walks of life. It was a curse that plagued me everywhere I went.

I then began thinking about the demon Twilight became.

What happened during the Friendship Games was something I didn't even think was possible. I had heard stories from Princess Celestia that Equestrian magic could merge together with different variations and be used to create either a great miracle or a great disaster, depending on what kind of heart you possessed. I never believed those stories, but after witnessing Twilight's transformation with these, my own two eyes, I no longer doubt any of the Equestrian legends. Twilight must have done something to have been able to absorb so much magic without being destroyed in the process. I still don't understand how I was able to achieve a similar form to what she had. Princess Twilight tried coming up with an answer, yet it stumped even her.

If anyone should've been able to absorb so much magic into their bodies, it was Princess Twilight. She had experienced that sensation already when she was given the magic from her fellow princesses. From what Her Highness told me, she had some interesting side-effects that eventually subsided. If only Twilight could've experienced something fun instead of ripping a world apart with magical portals. There were some things about Equestrian magic that no one, other than Star Swirl, knew the secrets behind.

" There! I wrote down another equation while you were off daydreaming." Twilight said.

" Thanks for the comfort."

" You were feeling upset, so I did what I thought was best. So, what happened after Vice Principal Luna left?

" Actually, before I go into that, I want to do something a little different."

" Oh?"

" I know much about you Twilight, but I'm curious about what happened before you came to CHS with the rest of Crystal Prep."

" You... want to know about my meeting with Principal Cinch?"

" Yes."

" Why?"

" If I know what happened to you there, it will make the next part of my journal make more sense."

Comments

[Jakomi of the Rose]

" Unless it's a 'losing to Crystal Prep' competition! 'Cause we're really good at that!" Pinkie Pie answered.

I don't know why but when Pinkie said this in the movie I just found it funny and cute.

[Ganondorf8]

7022843

I had to make sure to keep that line in. It's too good not to use.

[Jakomi of the Rose]

7026877 Fantastic decision.