Equestria Girls: The College Years (Revised)

by Gear Works

Ch. 4 - Magic, Monsters, and Managers

Twilight, Sunset, Applejack, Sugarcoat, and Spike were talking to Moon Dancer and Rara back in the dorms about the magical events that have taken place during the Friendship Games and again at Camp Everfree. Not to mention the Battle of the Bands and the Fall Formal that started it all. Moon Dancer and Rara took it all in and were a bit surprised at what they heard. Just a bit.

“So you came from another world that’s a mirrored version of this world?” Moon Dancer asked Sunset.

“Yep,” Sunset replied.

“And not only did you… pony up when you protected this princess from that world, but again when you faced the sirens, who now work on campus?” Rara asked Applejack.

“Eeyep,” Applejack replied.

“And then you tried to take the magic from them, which turned you into some dark creature that ripped open the portals to that world?” Moon Dancer asked Twilight.

“Yep,” Replied Twilight and Sugarcoat in unison.

“And then you learned how to control the magic and received those pendants in the process at Camp Everfree?” Rara asked all of them.

“That just about sums it up,” Spike replied. “Not to mention that I can talk.”

Moon Dancer was almost at a loss for words. “I… I can hardly believe it.”

“Then maybe you can explain us about this.” Sunset pulled out the tabloid that Adagio handed her and showed Moon Dancer the article that had a blurred image of her.

“Well, no sense keeping it a secret.” Moon Dancer handed the tabloid back to Sunset. Then she rolled up her sleeve to reveal the golden bracelet that they have heard about.

“So it is true,” Twilight replied. “How did it all happen?”

Moon Dancer decided to explain. “Happened just after we graduated. I started to work at the museum to get some extra money before coming to college. One of the professors there found some Egyptian artifacts, and I was busy cleaning them up for display. One of them was this bracelet that belonged to an old pharaoh from long ago. Some robbers showed up and tried to take the items, but were stopped by the police. In that process, I tried to stop them from taking the items, to which some of them fell out of the bag. I lost my balance and fell to the ground, to which my wrist fell on the bracelet, locking it in place. I tried to take it off, but it wouldn’t come off.

“So I asked the professor in charge and showed him what had happened. He did some research and found out that it was believed to be cursed. Once it was locked onto its host, it can never be removed. What’s worse is that it awaken the pharaoh from its slumber, which was also in a coffin in the museum. I spent over a week in learning how to remove the curse and stop the pharaoh at the same time. Luckily, Rara and a few friends of our help me in stopping the pharaoh when we learned how to seal him back into the underworld where he belong.

“But removing the cursed bracelet was another problem. I had to go to the Middle East to find the place that it was created. Rara had enough money to get us a trip over there safely, so we went there to have the curse removed. That was when we met a professor who I believe works on campus. Professor River Song, I believe. She said that she might know where it was created. But it was a challenge getting there, trying to avoid the traps that were placed there in the process.

“Once we got to the source, getting this thing was more of a challenge, because there was no key that could unlock it. Turns out that we had to solve one more puzzle to help unlock it. So we solved the puzzle by shining the light that was coming in to the room to a certain spot. We were able to remove the curse and remove the bracelet. But there was one more problem. We also learned that it was bounded to me and me alone. While the curse was gone, I was stuck with the bracelet. The professor said that I should hold on to it in hopes that it can be used for good, not to mention that it would be safer in my hands. So… now I’m stuck with it.”

“Can I see it?” Sunset asked. Moon Dancer agreed and took the bracelet off her wrist and handed it to Sunset. She looked it over and sensed something different about it. “Well, it’s not Equestrian, like our pendants. But there is some kind of strange magic coming from it. It’s something that I haven’t felt in my life.” She handed the bracelet back to Moon Dancer. “If it has magic in it, and it’s bound to you, then you should be careful how you use it until you can learn more about it first.”

“I won’t argue with that,” Moon Dancer replied. “I’ve been doing some research myself, but haven’t found enough info about what it could do. Right now, it’s touch and go. If I had a scanner made, I could be able to study it better.”

Sunset looked at Twilight and asked, “What about that P.K.E. meter you have? Can it still work?”

Moon Dancer’s eyes went wide open. “You mean you were able to make a P.K.E. meter?”

“Well, kinda.” She went to her box and pulled out the old meter that was without the working chip in it. “But the chip is badly damaged.” That was when she pulled out the broken locket that was used back in the Friendship Games. “I’m not sure if I can repair it of not.”

“Let me see it.” Twilight pulled the chip out of the locket and handed it to Moon Dancer. She took a good look at it and explained what she saw. “It looks like some of the parts can be replaced. I have a soldering kit and some various nodes and such to get it working. But I can’t make out some of the finer details on the chip. If only I had a microscope to use.”

“Wait just one moment.” Sugarcoat ran back into her dorm room and came back with an old lab microscope. “Will this do?”

“Perfect!”

Sugarcoat laid it on the desk and plugged it in so that the light could look. Moon Dancer took the chip and laid it on the display glass. She lifted her glasses up and looked into the microscope, checking the details of the chip.

“How were you able to get something like that?” Twilight asked.

“It belonged to my father,” Sugarcoat replied plainly. “He was a lab scientist back in the day. So he gave it to me as a college present for my studies.”

“You should see the box of samples that came with it,” Applejack added. “There’s a lot of plant cells and skin cells and who knows what else. I never knew they would keep samples of everything for compassion use.”

“You would be surprised as to what else they try to save for research,” Sugarcoat said.

“I hope you don’t mind me asking, but you mention that you had others that helped you against the pharaoh,” Sunset said. “Should they be someone that we should know?”

“Oh yea,” Rara replied. “They actually attend this school with us. But they’re sophomores here. Sea Spray, who’s an expert swimmer and deep sea diver. Crab Hammer, who doesn’t talk a lot, but his father works in the construction business. And Gem Stardust, who kinda reminds me of you, AJ, but is more towards the theater life. But she’s a cowgirl at heart, that’s for sure.”

“I would like to meet her someday,” Applejack replied. “And something tells me that Crab Hammer could be more like my brother, Big Mac. All work and little talk.”

Just then, Moon Dancer finished looking over the chip. “Twilight. It looks like some of the pathways are scratched up, but some of the parts are still intact. I think this can be repaired and working again. Do you have any of the blueprints for this?”

“I have them on my laptop,” Twilight replied. “Let me pull them up for you to look at.”

“You do that, and I’ll go back to my room and get my soldering kit and parts.” Moon Dancer got up and made sure her glasses were back in their place before leaving the room and grabbing the supplies from her room.

“Why do I have a feeling that this is going to take some time making repairs and speaking terms that I have a hard time understanding,” Rara said.

“Perhaps we should leave them to their work,” Applejack said. “Let’s go outside. I could use some fresh air right about now.”

Rara agreed and went with Applejack outside of the dorm, leaving Moon Dancer, Twilight, Sunset, and Sugarcoat to their work. When they got outside, they found a small brick wall just outside of the dorm lobby that they could sit on. It was already night time, which gave them a chance to see the stars above. Applejack looked up at the stars and let out a sigh.

“You still miss them, do you?” Rara asked.

Applejack let out another sigh and said, “Eeyep.”

“Must be hard working on the farm without them.”

“Well, I do have Big Mac around. And my little sis, Apple Bloom as well, even though she can be a handful at times. And while Granny Smith works at the school cafeteria, she tries her best to keep the business going.” Applejack decided to change the subject. “How did you get caught in a mess with your music career anyway?”

“You mean with my former manager, Svengallop?” Rara replied. “I always thought he was just looking out for me and my needs at the time. But it was when I was to perform with other artists for a charity event that the truth was revealed. It was also the time I met Moon Dancer as well. She was a volunteer at the event and was assigned to work with me around the area so that I was ready for my performance that night. She was given a list of demands from Svengallop for several items that were needed. The request was odd for her, because stuff like that was to go straight to the head of the event, not to Moon Dancer. When I looked at the list, I started to have concern about what my manager was doing.

“So Moon Dancer had an idea that could show if he had my best interests in heart. I called Sapphire Shores, who was the president of Sapphire Studios, and asked that she be there to see what Svengallop was doing in the first place. The plan was for me to cancel my afternoon trip to the children hospital, which I like to do a lot at events like this. I did so, and he agreed to it and made a request to cancel the hospital event and schedule a trip to the spa for himself. Moon Dancer had a hidden camera on herself and showed the video to me and Sapphire.

“Seeing what was going on and finally noticing that Svengallop wasn’t following normal procedure like he should have, Sapphire decided to fire him as a manager for the company and decided to take over for the clients that he was in charge of. That would have including me, but I requested that I take some time off from my career and return to school instead of having a private teacher working with me. Moon Dancer recommended that I attend her school, which was a private academy in Manehattan. Everyone there treated me like every other student that was there, and not some famous singer, which is what I wanted at that time. Spent my junior and senior years there.

“Now, I’m working in music performance here at Equestria University. I want to write my own music for once and be more of a singer and songwriter at the same time for Sapphire Studios.”

“And after you graduated from high school, you had to help Moon Dancer with her problem against a pharaoh,” Applejack said.

“After what she did for me, it was the best I could do for her,” Rara responded.

“Well, it’s nice to see that you’ve returned to your roots once again.”

“Thanks, AJ.”

Rara reached out and hugged Applejack, to which she returned the hug. That was when Applejack looked up and saw Rara’s hair.

“Now what are we going to do about your hair.”

Rara looked up and wondered as well. “I was hoping to get the color out during the summer. But with all that has happened the past few months, I just never got a chance to have it done.”

“Well, if Rarity was able to notice who you were then I’m sure everyone else will know when they see you on campus. And we have yet to have our student IDs worked on.” Then Applejack had an idea. “I know. Let’s ask her and see if she can fix it for you. I know she’s into fashion, but maybe she’s worked on this stuff at one time.”

So Applejack and Rara went back inside and went to the room that Rarity was in and knocked the door. And without a doubt, it was Rarity who answered the door.

“Oh. Hello Applejack… and Col- I mean, Rara. Sorry. I’m still trying to get use to who you wanted to be called in the first place.”

“It’s OK, Rarity. Moon Dancer had to go through it as well when I attended high school with her,” Rara replied.

“Rares, you think you can get the color out of her hair?” Applejack asked. “We’ve been hoping that she would look like her old self before she can walk around campus in public.”

Rarity placed her hand on her chin and thought for a moment. “I don’t know. That would be a challenge for me to do.”

“I can do it.” They girls looked to see Sunny Flare just outside the bathroom door. “I’ve worked with hair colors myself in the past. On both my hair and Sour’s. If you need to get the color out, I might have something that would work. But we’ll have to do this in the bathroom shower.”

So Rara followed Rarity and Sunny to the bathroom to work on Rara’s hair. But they needed something that she could lay on so that they can get the color out without getting on herself.

“I’m not sure a chair would work here,” Rarity said.

“Why not create something similar with your diamond magic?” Applejack recommended. Rarity and Sunny showed signs of concern, but Applejack helped calm those concerns. “Don’t worry. She had to help Moon Dancer with that indecent that was shown in the tabloid. She understands.”

Rarity made a quick nod and used her magic to create a flat bench made out of diamond crystals. Sunny Flare grabbed some of her bottles to have at the ready, and Rara went to lay down and let her hair down over the shower. Both Rarity and Sunny started to work on removing the dye in Rara’s hair. Applejack stood next to the wall to watch, to which Sour Sweet joined her.

“So, how’s the A/C doing in your room?” Applejack asked.

“Gears said that they tried to repair the part that helps control the temperature, but when he looked at it, it needed to be replaced in the first place,” Sour explained. “Said that it will be a few days before he can get it and make the repairs. But he gave us a couple of box fans to help keep the room cool until then. Not sure if I can handle the noise from those fans, compared to the A/C unit.”

“Actually, it’s just ambient sounds that you’re hearing from both sources,” Rara said while laying on the bench.

“And how would you know?” Sour asked.

“Something that my science teacher explained back in high school. Most simple motors make an ambient sound, which can help some people sleep easier, since they can stand complete silence.”

“The only thing I like to hear when I sleep is just the owls hooting,” Applejack said.

“That’s because you live on a farm, dear,” Rarity said. “For me, I prefer the sounds of the river, or even a waterfall.”

“The waterfall is a nice sound to sleep to,” Sunny added. “Good thing that they have sound boxes that can recreate nature’s music.”

“Just as long as you don’t have to go to the bathroom while listening to it,” Sour said. She then let out a sigh.

Applejack took noticed and decided to ask. “Something wrong?”

“It’s just… when I saw Gear Works, he was a really nice person. Rarity and Fluttershy told me about Aria and the fact that she was more of the rude one in the group, but I just couldn’t understand how Gears can put up with her. He said that there was another side to her that he was able to bring out of her. Not to mention that he can put up with her attitude most of the time. I just… I wish I could find a boy like him in my life.”

“That’s because you keep scaring off every guy you try to date in the past,” Sunny explained.

“I DO NOT!!!” Sour soon realized the outburst that she just made. “Sorry. That just… came out of nowhere.”

“Maybe that’s what your problem is,” Applejack said. “You have no way to get the anger out of your system. Is there anything that you like to do during your free time?”

Sour Sweet took a moment to think about it. “Well, you saw what I can do in archery back during the Friendship Games. That’s usually my way of stress relief. I just have a hard time finding a good place to use my bow and arrows during school. I already won the junior girls archery competition during spring break.”

“Is that so?” Applejack replied.

“Yep. Too bad you weren’t there to compete against me,” Sour bragged on.

“That’s because I was at Camp Everfree at the time,” Applejack corrected.

“Oh. Yea. You had to deal with new magic at the time. Forget I bragged about that.”

“Already forgotten. Is there anything else that you like to do?”

Sour thought about it some more. “I… don’t really know right now. I guess I was just focused on finishing school and getting out of Cinch’s hair.”

“Maybe you should talk to Dr. Chrysalis,” Rarity recommended. “She is your guidance consular, and Adagio has had sessions with her. Maybe you should think about having a session with her. It could be helpful down the road.”

“I’ll… think about it,” Sour replied.

Rarity then remembered something. “Oh, by the way. I just heard from Trixie. She’s already checked in to her room, but hasn’t seen her roommate yet. I’m guessing that she would be an upperclassmen. Said that her name was Gem Stardust.”

“Hey, isn’t that the girl that you and Moon Dancer know?” Applejack asked.

“Yep. That’s her,” Rara replied.

“You’ve been telling me that she reminds you of me. Care to explain?” Applejack asked.

“Well, she’s more of a western girl at heart,” Rara replied. “I met her when I was a junior when she asked for some help with her singing. She’s trying to focus on theater just like her mother.”

“Oh. Both Trixie and Sunny are majoring in theater as well,” Rarity replied.

“Cool. I’m sure that Gem will get along with her.”

“That is if she can handle the way Trixie talks,” Applejack said. “She talks in third person, and like to be dramatic in everything. Not to mention the disappearing act that she tries to do at times.”

“Remember, she did forgive us after what happen at the battle of the bands, even if she was under the control of the sirens. She was a bit… arrogant in what she did afterwards,” Rarity explained.

“Oh I’m sure Gem wouldn’t have any problems with her,” Rara said. “She knows how to handle a six-shooter like her mother during her rodeo days. Her mother also graduated from this school with the same major and became a big name stage actress in Manehattan and beyond.”

That got Sunny to thinking. “Six-shooter? Rodeo? By any chance her mother’s name is Ruby Crystal Stardust?”

“That’s her.”

Sunny was shocked. “Oh. My. Gosh! She’s like the biggest wild west actress known in the world. I think I’ve seen one of her plays that she was in. She always preferred roles that had a strong female lead, and anything western or southern style were suited just for her. One of the reasons I wanted to work on majoring in theater.”

“I’ve heard of the name, but never had a chance to see her perform,” Rarity said. “I’m assuming that she still performs on stage.”

“I believe so,” Rara said. “But I think she’s taking a break for the time being, last I heard. You’ll have to talk to her to find out for yourself.”

Rarity and Sunny just finished working on Rara’s hair. Rara sat back up as Rarity held up a mirror for her to look at.

“So, what do you think?”

Rara looked at her reflection and saw herself with her long dark blue hair, which was still a bit wet from the washing.

“Like my old self. It’s been so long since I’ve seen myself like this. Thanks to both of you, Rarity and Sunny.”

“Oh, it’s no problem, dearie,” Sunny replied. “Now you can walk around without being mobbed by your fans that still remember who you were.”

“At least you’re ready for when we get our student IDs later on,” Applejack said.

All five of them walked out of the bathroom, only to see Fluttershy sitting on the bed next to the window talking to a blue bird.

“So, she can really talk to animals, right?” Rara asked Applejack.

“Eeyep.”

“It just amazes me that she can do that,” Rarity said. “She was able to understand my cat better back home.”

“I have a feeling that she’s going to make a great veterinarian when she graduates,” Sunny said.

Just then, there was a knock at the front door. Rarity went to answer it and saw Twilight and Moon Dancer at the door.

“Good. We found you all,” Moon Dancer said. “Sunset and Sugarcoat went to get the others. There’s something that you girls need to see.”

As Twilight and Moon Dancer walked into the room, Sunset and the other girls arrived to see what was going on. Sugarcoat made sure the door was close before they could talk.

“We were able to get my P.K.E. Meter working,” Twilight said as she held up her device. “But it was during our test that we were able to discover something. Take a look at the readings when I point it to one of the pendants.”

Twilight held the meter to Sunset’s pendant, which caused it to go off. The other girls were looking at the screen.

“So it’s showing a wavily line. So what?” Rainbow Dash explained.

“These were the same readings that I saw when I examined the statue before the Friendship Games. Now take a look when I can Moon Dancer’s bracelet.”

Twilight pointed the meter to the gold bracelet, and started to emit different readings from Twilight’s point of view.

“It looks like the same readings,” Indigo said.

“No it’s not,” Pinkie quickly replied. “There’s less waves on the screen.”

“Exactly!” Twilight responded. “The readings are different from Equestrian magic.”

Rainbow Dash had a confused look on her face. “I don’t get it.”

Moon Dancer explained. “What she means is that various forces emit different patterns. Whether it’s a spirit or demon, dark magic or holy magic, each force contains different kinds of energy.”

“So now we can detect if we come across Equestrian magic or not,” Twilight said.

“Does it even matter what kind of magic we come across around here?” Sour asked.

“Remember what Adagio said earlier. There might be some threats that Equestrian magic wouldn’t work on. What Moon Dancer experience would be one of those reasons,” Sunset explained.

The girls then heard the blue bird chirping from Fluttershy’s shoulder.

“Really? Are you sure?” Fluttershy replied, to which the bird chirped back.

Sunset asked Fluttershy, “What’s it saying?”

“He says that some of the animals nearby have come across some strange light in the past, like some kind of tear in space. Then monsters appear from those tears.”

“Monsters? Like timber wolves or something?” Sunset asked.

Twilight looked at Sunset and asked, “What’s a timber wolf?”

“It’s like a big wolf, but made from logs. They only exist in the Everfree Forest back in my world.”

The bird chirped again, to which Fluttershy said, “No. They were more like skeletons and ghosts.”

“Dude, maybe it’s a necrodancer,” Lemon said.

“You mean necromancer, Lemon,” Sugarcoat corrected.

“Whatever.”

Sunset pondered for a moment. “That doesn’t sound like something from Equestria.”

“Then these tears may not be like the ones that I… well Midnight Sparkle, created back then, right?” Twilight asked.

“I don’t think so,” Sunset replied. “From the sound of it, these must have been created from the source that these creatures also came from. The only kinds of spirits that I know of are the Windigos. And that was ages ago back in Equestria. And if it was nearby, then Adagio of her sisters would have sensed it. That could only mean that this force isn’t from Equestria.”

“Then how come there hasn’t been any reports about this anywhere,” Rainbow Dash asked.

The bird chirped in response. “He says that there were men in golden armor who appear to take out the creatures, then seal up the tear with some power that comes from their hands. Once the tear is gone, they disappear.”

“I hope this isn’t some new magic that we have to face again,” Applejack said.

“I’m not sure,” Sunset replied. “I think it’s best that we don’t worry about this for now. If someone else is handling this problem, and no one is harmed in the process, then it might be best to stay out of their way for now. We may not be able to solve this with our magic alone.”

“I would have to agree,” Moon Dancer said. “We made sure no one else got in our way when handling the pharaoh back then after we found out how to deal with him. It might be best to stay out of the way of these guys as well. If the threat is worse and we come across it, then we would have to intervene.”

“Might be best to keep an open mind about what we just learned about and be alert of anything out of the ordinary,” Sunset recommended. “If there are other forces out there, then maybe knowledge will help us out in stopping it.”

Everyone came to agreement with this and decided to return to their rooms and call it a night.

Author's Note:

The idea of tears opening up and men and golden armor was going to be the plot line in the old version, which is how I created several new OCs for the story.

Comments

[ransom username]

I'm out of Ice tea to celebrate... D:

[Akwolfgrl13]

So much going on def gona have to reread