The Counter-spell
Trixie and the Illusionists took the stage, they were dressed much like they were during the rounds but much more stylized with wide brim pointed hats with stars and moons on them. Trixie’s hat and cloak had the most flair to it. Trixie took a step to the microphone and gave a closed-eyed smile as she was on stage about to perform, in the finals of the Battle of the Bands. She took a breath and she started to sing, “Ya better believe
I got tricks up my sleeve
And I captivate
'Cause I'm powerful and grea-ea-eat,” Trixie started to sing as she played her guitar with Fuchsia and Lavender with their samplers.
“Oh, whoa, oh-oh-oh-oh,” Fuchsia and Lavender harmonized after Trixie sang the first verse of their song. As they walked to be behind Trixie.
“Ya better believe
I got tricks up my sleeve
See me dominate
'Cause I'm powerful and grea-ea-eat,” Trixie took over as her focus gem glowed which triggered several of her illusions to go off, often
“Oh, whoa, oh-oh-oh-oh,” Fuchsia and Lavender harmonized after Trixie sang the second verse of the song as they stood back to back.
“You think you've got what it takes to go toe to toe?
I've got more moves than you'll ever know
I own the stage, I'm all the rage
You're from the past, I'm from the Space Age,” As Trixie sang the third verse, Fuchsia and Lavender walked to stand right beside her. The three gave each other small nod.
“Come on, you're just making noise
Listen how my music destroys
Anything you throw at me
I'm gonna throw back, just wait and see-ee,” The three sang together as they all turned to have their chest facing their right and collectively winked at the audience.
“Ya better believe
I got tricks up my sleeve
And I captivate
'Cause I'm powerful and grea-ea-eat,” The three turned to face the crowd full on as Trixie repeated the first verse of the song having it function as the fifth verse of the song.
“Oh, whoa, oh-oh-oh-oh,” Fuchsia and Lavender harmonized as each turned to have her back towards Trixie.
“Ya better believe
I got tricks up my sleeve
See me dominate
'Cause I'm powerful and grea-ea-eat
I'm here to take you down a peg
Oh, whoa, oh-whoa-oh-whoa-oh-oh
By the time I'm done, you're gonna beg
Oh, whoa, oh-whoa-oh-whoa-oh-oh
To be in my band, application rejected!” As Trixie sang the sixth verse of the song, her mind drifted to when Rarity, Rainbow, and Applejack heckled her and how she put them in their place afterward, then to when she bested Twilight with the Alicorn Amulet and then to trap them in the amphitheater’s understage. All the while, a projection of an application was filled out, only for it to be torn apart by Trixie as she said, ‘rejected’
“Rejected!” Fuchsia and Lavender repeated the last word of the verse.
“Don't look so sad and so dejected,” Trixie sang as she thought back on how Twilight was left broken after she (Trixie) bested Celestia’s prized pupil.
“And so dejected,” Fuchsia and Lavender repeated the last few words Trixie sang, as they turned to be facing forward again.
“Don't mean to brag, don't mean to boast
But I'm a six-course meal and you're just burnt toast
Think I'm gonna ever give up?
No, never, ever, ever, ever!
Come on, you're just making noise
Listen how my music destroys
Anything you throw at me
I'm gonna throw back, just wait and see-ee,” the three sang the seventh verse in unison as together as Fuchsia and Lavender harmonized took a step away from Trixie, granting her the spotlight.
“Ya better believe
I got tricks up my sleeve
And I captivate
'Cause I'm powerful and grea-ea-eat,” Trixie sang the eighth verse by herself as Fuchsia and Lavender also took a step back to be more in the background.
“Oh, whoa, oh-oh-oh-oh,” Fuchsia and Lavender harmonized after the eight verse of the song.
“Ya better believe
I got tricks up my sleeve
See me dominate
'Cause I'm powerful and grea-ea-eat!” Trixie finished the song with her last set of fireworks going off and the audience cheered in response.
Shortly after the sirens left, just before Trixie took the stage, Applejack took a breath and looked squarely at Rainbow, “This is all yahr fault!”
“My fault?” Rainbow asked utterly caught off guard that Applejack would and had indeed made that accusation.
“If yah hadn’t ticked them off, they wouldn’t have tried to kill the sirens.” Applejack continued to accuse the elementalist, “It’s yahr fault that they’re all dead.”
Rainbow had tears starting to form in the corners of her eyes from the hurt not only that Applejack would accuse her and from what the paladin had just accused her of, but that she might also be right, which she tried to hide, “I did not ask them to go after the sirens!” she shouted, which despite her best efforts was unconvincing to even herself. “It’s not my fault. It’s not my fault.”
All the while Twilight cried, but it had shifted to a near silent whimper. Next to her were Fluttershy and Pinkie. Fluttershy, even with tears of her own, stroked Twilight’s hair in an attempt to comfort her friend, “It’s alright, Twilight. Go ahead and cry all you want to. Just let it out.” she said.
Pinkie, however, elected to tackle the subject a different way, “Besides, you’re still young. You’ll meet other guys.” she said pointing out that Twilight had so much of her life ahead of her. Twilight could only sob harder because she didn’t want another guy, she wanted Flash. A fact not lost on Fluttershy who glared at Pinkie. The jester then sheepishly laughed as she brought the tips of her index fingers together, “Too soon?” she asked and was answered with a cross of a groan and a sigh from Fluttershy.
After a few seconds, Twilight sat up and wiped her tears away, “Why didn’t I finish that counterspell sooner?!” she asked and cursed herself. “If I had, he’d still be here,” she concluded before she began to think more on it as she noticed that even if she got a counter-spell together, that was no guarantee that it would work. “Maybe it doesn’t even matter that he’s gone.” she sighed. “The spell probably wouldn’t have worked anyway.”
Applejack walked up to the demigod and placed both of her hands on Twilight’s shoulder reassuringly, “Of course it would have worked, Sugarcube.” she said with a smile before her eyes narrowed as she turned her head to glance over her shoulder towards Rainbow, “Assumin' a certain band member didn't try to hog the spotlight the whole time we were tryin' to play it!”
“Hey!” Rainbow called to Applejack, as the paladin turned to fully face her, “If you wanna tell Twilight she's getting a little too caught up trying to be the new leader of this band, you don't have to be all cryptic about it.”
Rarity covered her face with both her hands and shook her head as Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie walked towards Rainbow. After she finished shaking her head, “Oh for Celestia’s sake! Tank travels faster than your wit!” Rarity bemoaned Rainbow’s apparent stupidity. “She was talking about you, Dashie!”
“Me?!” Rainbow questioned taken back. “I'm just trying to make sure my band rocks as hard as it needs to!”
“OUR BAND!!” Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie shouted at Rainbow in unison.
“But why wasn't it working?” Twilight asked as she was wrapped up in the how every attempt to cast the counterspell had not worked. “I should know what to do. How could I not know what to do? How could I have failed like this?”
However, Twilight’s own existential crisis was lost on the other five Element Bearers. Made apparent as Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie were focused solely on their feud with Applejack pointing out, “It might've been yahr idea to start a band, but it's not just yahr band, Rainbow!”
“I'm the one who writes all the song!” Rainbow pointed out, namely referring to the songs the band had performed thus far, most noticeably ‘Shake Your Tail’, ‘Awesome As I Wanna Be’ and ‘Better Than Ever’.
“I write songs, too!” Fluttershy pointed out as she threw her own notebook of songs, which she brought with her, hoping to use it to help Twilight. “You just never let us play any of them!” the usually timid druid was starting to sound like a grizzly bear that was woken mid-hibernation.
“Not only that,” Rarity pointed out the fact that songs alone a band did not make, “There are also our uniforms.” while not untrue because the right costume gave a band distinction, none of the Rainbooms valued it as much as Rarity, “And I had the most perfect outfits for us to wear!”
“Again with the costumes!” Applejack bemoaned as she grabbed her hat and threw it to the ground in frustration, “No one cares what we're wearin'!”
“Well, I care, Applejack!” Rarity countered, “So sorry if I enjoy trying to make a non-musical creative contribution to the band!” she pouted.
“Hey!” Pinkie shouted and got the other four to turn to her, “Anybody here remembers fun?!” she asked rhetorically and before anyone could answer, “I'll give you a hint: It's the exact opposite of being in the Rainbooms!” Pinkie shouted as her anger was reaching its boiling point.
Rainbow turned her back to the other four and crossed her arms in front of her chest.: “I wish I never asked any of you to be in my band!”
“THE FEELING’S MUTUAL, BENCHWARMER!!!”Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie shouted in unison at Rainbow just before the five devolved into unintelligible arguing as Rainbow turned back to face them.
At the same time that Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie called Rainbow ‘benchwarmer’, “Ya better believe
I got tricks up my sleeve
See me dominate
'Cause I'm powerful and grea-ea-eat!” Trixie finished the song with her last set of fireworks going off and the audience cheered in response. After bowing the three exited the stage as Juniper stepped on stage most likely to announce an intermission before the Dazzlings. Backstage, Trixie and the Illusionists came across the Dazzlings, who were wearing the black robes they wore when arrived at Midnight Castle. “Try to top that!” Trixie challenged them as if she had already won as the three walked passed the Dazzlings
“Oh, gosh! I don't know if we can!” Adagio said, the sarcasm lost on Trixie. Once Trixie was gone, Adagio turned to her sisters, “Everything is going accord to plan.” as they saw the green mist start to form, much thicker than before, more of a dense fog of melting dry-ice. The three laughed as their rubies absorbed the mist.
Elsewhere in the amphitheater's private box for Baroness Cinch, she noticed the absence of Sunny and the rest of the Shadowbolts. She elected to just shrug her shoulders as Juniper returned to the booth and sat down.
At the same time as Juniper announced the intermission, Sunset looked from the bloody rag to the door then back again. Something wasn’t adding up. Then, an image came to the front of her mind, Angus McSteer’s skull. If the Sirens had eaten Flash and the garrison, why would they only bring a bloody shirt as proof? Why wouldn’t they bring their bones too? Maybe they didn’t have any bones to bring, which means… Sunset gasped in realization. “Twilight,” she began, but before she could finish her thought, she saw a green mist was radiating out of the Element Bearers. The mist was drifting up towards the the...the stage. She looked to see Rainbow, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie were continuing to argue. Sunset thought back to when the sirens were encircling her. Then it dawned on her, Adagio knew that the Rainbooms could be pushed to this point and that only she (Sunset) could get them to come to their senses, so she and her sisters attempted to break her and make her want to add to the fight by pointing that they didn’t bother to include her. Adagio had so many things in motion that would lead to her victory and if she won here, the rest of the world would follow suit. However, Adagio’s plan had too many moving parts, and it would only take one to go awry.
Sunset smiled as she was able to change everything. This happiness was short lived as she heard the five continue to argue. She took a breath and with her focus gem glowing, “STOP!!!” she shouted as she shot flames to silence them.“This is what they've been after all along! They're feeding off of the magic inside you!”
“How can they be using our magic?” Applejack asked as she thought back to when they faced Tirek and the fact that it took him the better part of a year to be able to drain magic from a Magicborn, and then had to drain a fairly large number of Magicborns to drain Skyborns and such. “It takes a great deal of power to drain the magic in us.”
Sunset shook her head, “They aren’t draining it, they are absorbing what sweeps out when you argue. While I wasn’t there when you started this band, but like them, I can tell you've been letting little things get to you.” Sunset then looked away and at the floor, as she felt guilty for not speaking up soon. “I never said anything 'cause I didn't feel like it was my place. Not when I'm so new to this whole ‘friendship’ thing.” Sunset then took a breath and raised her head as she felt a swell of determination as she knew that she was right with what she was about to say. “I still have a lot to learn.” She stopped as she looked at each and every one of the bickering five as she spoke, “But I do know that if you don't work out even the smallest problems right at the start, then a friendship can be turned into something else, something toxic, something that can be used against those who were friends.”
Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow could only look at the floor in shame as they had to let Sunset’s words drive the point home and address their faults in the matter, Rainbow had to acknowledge her ego, Rarity her obsession for form over function, Applejack her pride, Pinkie her lack of tact, and Fluttershy both her anger for being ignored until this point and her inability to speak for herself earlier. Twilight looked up towards her friends and finally saw that the situation had devolved to this point right in front of her, “I can't believe all this tension was happening right under my nose and I didn't realize it.” She addressed her own error, of her narrow focus on the counterspell. “I'm supposed to be the one with all the answers,” Twilight said as she looked down in shame. “And all I've done is let you down”.
Sunset shook her head with gently closed eyes and a soft smile, not unlike a teacher “I don't think anyone is supposed to have all the answers.” Sunset said as she placed a hand on Twilight’s shoulder. “But you can count on your friends to help you find them.” she then offered her hand.
Twilight accepted the hand with Sunset’s held stood up, “I think you already have.” Twilight smiled and turned towards the door, “C'mon! We need to get out of here!”
Before Twilight got to the door Rainbow took her hand. Twilight turned to face the elementalist. Rainbow looked at the floor with tears in the corners of her eyes, “I’m so sorry.” she all but whispered, but Twilight heard it all the same, “I never should have insulted Flash and his friends or egged them on when they started getting upset. If I hadn’t, they’d probably still be here.”
Sunset sighed, “Well, that’s something else I wanted to say. Don’t you remember Angus’s skull? The Dazzlings used it as proof of death. All Adagio showed was a torn shirt. Flash and his band are not…”
Before Sunset could finish her sentence, there was pounding at the door, “Princess Twilight, are you and your friends in there?” a female voice called.
“Wait,” said Rainbow Dash, recognizing the voice. “Is that…?” She paused to collect herself. A hint of a smile formed on her lips as realization dawned on her. She coughed before she called back to the person on the other side, “Cherry Crash, is that you?”
“Oh, no!” Pinkie Pie cried, pulling her jester’s hat down to hide her face. “Cherry’s ghost has come back from beyond the grave to haunt us!”
“Yes, it’s me, and I’m not dead,” Cherry answered with just a bare hint of annoyance. “Are Princess Twilight and the other Bearers with you?”
“We’re all here, Sugarcube,” Applejack answered, her smile matching Rainbow Dash’s.
“Great. Um, you all might want to get away from the door,” Cherry suggested.
Everyone took a few steps back. “STARBURST!!!” Flash’s voice was heard as he rammed down the door, his shield protecting him from the impact. He then stood up and looked around, “Did somebody call for a rescue party?” he asked with a grin on his face, in spite of his somewhat battered state.
Twilight’s jaw dropped as tears of joy started to form in her eyes. She then glomped him, forcing him outside and onto his back. “Y-Y-YOU’RE ALIVE!” she shouted with so much joy it could barely be contained. Outside were the rest of the Flash Drives, all of them bandaged up, most notably among each, Ringo had the bridge of his glasses wrapped in adhesive tape, Valhallen had an arm in a sling, Cherry had a leg in a splint, Brawly had bandages over his right eye, Mystery seemed unscathed, save that her hair was much shorter. Flash, himself, had a graze on his forehead. It wasn’t until the rest of the Rainbooms had exited that Twilight felt the blood that slowly dripped from Flash’s injury and the moist spot on his chest. Twilight then got up to see that there a large spot in his leather armor in the area of his chest which looked as though it was soaked with blood and that the armor was haphazardly patched together recently, “And you’re hurt.”
Flash chuckled, “Well, it beats the alternative,” he then gave a cheesy, but reassuring smile.
Rainbow was the last to exit, she took a deep breath and gave a reluctant sigh before she spoke, “Thanks for getting us out of there. I guess you guys are competent after all.” The band all shared a look and gave nods and shrugs as if they accepted that as the closest thing to a compliment that they would get from her.
“How did y’all survive? Adagio claimed the Dazzlings killed and ate yah.” Applejack asked as she looked the band over.
Flash turned to Sunset, “I am not entirely sure of everything that happened. It’s all a little fuzzy. But I recall Sunset saying something about Adagio doing something to me. She then cast some sort of fire-based counter hex. I recall mostly a pain in my chest, then nothing but blind fury only to be followed by some sorta migraine or something. The next thing I remember was Sunset staring at me like I had turned into a wild animal and back. She left and then I saw traces of her being shoved and since I was the only other person there.” Flash dipped his head in shame and guilt.
“You weren’t yourself,” Sunset said with forgiveness in her voice before she turned to the rest of his band, her hands glowing, as well as Applejack and Fluttershy, who started to heal them.
Flash looked back up and faced her, “My actions are still my own actions.” Flash sighed again. He was about to speak again when Rarity took a gem she had in her pocket and placed it on his forehead. Projected from his eyes was the standoff of between the Flash Drives and the Dazzlings.
The projected Adagio started to give a hearty chuckle, “Oh this is sweet. You think you can fight us. You’ll be too busy fight each other.” Adagio’s eyes and her focus gem then glowed and bathed the area in orange light. Once the light subsided the Flash Drives san Flash looked at each other in confusion. “Oh cinnamon roll,” Adagio said as she walked up to a bedazzled Flash who stood there frozen, his eyes fields of orange. “Could you be a lamb and take care of those pesky brutes for us?” She asked as wrapped her arms around his neck. “We have a song to prepare.” She leaned in and gave him a kiss, opening her mouth and his. Her tongue slipping in as she moaned into his mouth, as she slid her body up and down against his. After three seconds of that, she broke the kiss. “There’s much more than that when the job is done.” She turned to look in the direction of Aria and Sonata, noticing an envious scowl from Aria and childish-puffed cheeks of jealousy from Sonata, “And I will not be the only one to reward our dutiful servant.” Adagio then chuckled as she walked away from Flash.
“And if you’re done soon enough, maybe a bonus is in order,” Aria added with a smirk, seeing Adagio’s plan of setting Flash ablaze with his own desires. “I can think of a seven-course meal with your name all over it.”
“Wait, so does this mean I can get my demigod puppies?” Sonata asked pleadingly. Aria and Adagio looked at each and sighed before they turned back to Sonata and reluctantly nodded. Sonata’s joy could barely be contained by her grin.
“You don’t know a thing about Flash if you believe that he’s so easily swayed.” Mystery shouted.
“Yeah, I should know,” Cherry added. “I once threw myself all over him with us both high as kites and plastered, and he made sure nothing happened between us. ”
The sirens laughed before Adagio spoke, “Sweetie, I’ve seen entire lines of men come and go. Heck, I gave birth to one or two of those lines, and in the end, they are all the same. The trick is not to fan the fire but knowing how to start it.” Adagio then called to Flash, “Cinnamon roll, sick ‘em.” Flash turned to face his allies and charged. He first rushed Valhallen with his shield aligned with Valhallen’s bow arm. The impact broke the humerus and rendered the archer prone. Flash then drew his sword and brought it down on Ringo. Ringo was barely able to step back in time as the tip of the sword made contact with and cut his glasses. Brawly tried to tackle Flash, only to be hit with the pummel of Flash’s sword knocking him out. Flash then turned to charge Mystery and Cherry. Cherry ran interference, but in the process, Flash managed to overrun her, breaking her left lower leg, and Mystery was forced to the ground and disarmed. While she was prone, Flash was about to plunge his sword into her neck when his heart started to glow purple, and Twilight’s aura mark formed there. He missed his mark and cut some of Mystery's hair short as he clutched his chest and blundered backward. He fell backward as the purple light glowed brighter and grew. Flash’s eyes began to slowly shift from orange to purple. All the while he was holding the sides of his head and crying out in pain as he was trapped in a migraine.
Aria and Sonata looked at Adagio, the two afraid of what was happening. If Adagio was affected by the sight, she didn’t show it. Slowly, Flash got back to his feet after a couple of seconds he raised his head to face the sirens, his eyes narrowed, but Twilight’s aura mark was still blazing on his chest. He said nothing as he readied his shield to charge them. "Skyboom Shield!" he roared as a purple bubble form formed with his shield as the center.
Adagio smirked, “Looks like this one is the real deal after all.” her fingernails then started to glow as she conjured a bubble of orange magic around herself and charged Flash.
The two collided at neck-breaking speeds. Flash tried to bring his sword to bear, but the bubble that Adagio conjured functioned as a force shield and sent it flying, landing at Ringo’s feet. Adagio then reached around Flash’s shield with her left hand and took hold of the collar of his arm. She tore down the front, digging her nails into his chest, tearing his shirt in the process. Flash cried in pain. “And you looked like you would have been such a good time,” Adagio complained as pulled her hand back and, tearing off the front of his shirt. As she prepared to plunge her glowing nails into his chest, aiming for his heart she was tackled from her right by what looked like a spectral bear.
“Flash, we got to fall back.” Mystery called to Flash as she conjured a fog to cover their retreat as Ringo helped Brawly and Valhallen up before helping Cherry. Ringo and Cherry ran off in one direction while the other three also went in separate directions. Flash reluctantly pulled back with the others, stopping only to pick up his sword. Yet as the fog cover dissipated, Flash stopped to see if the Dazzlings would try to pursue them, not unlike someone tasked to cover a retreat. He waited but saw that the Dazzlings were not following them.
Aria took a few seconds to scan the area, “Where’d they go?” she asked in her search for them.
“Ooh, I think they’re playing hide and seek.” Sonata chimed in childishly. She started to walk towards Flash’s hiding spot. Flash ducked down and prepared to draw his sword again as he heard, “Let’s look for them. Finders eaters.”
“No,” Adagio ordered. “They’re scattered, and there’s too many of them.” Flash heard Adagio reason with her sister. “Finding them will take too much time.” Flash dared a chance to see what the three were doing as continued to speak, “Besides, they’re too injured to go very far, and we already have the last thing we need to push Pretty Purple Princess and her friends past the edge.” Flash then saw Adagio smirk evilly as she held up the tattered and blood-stained part of his shirt she managed to tear off. “By the time, Soldier Boy and his friends come to the rescue, we’ll already have more than enough magic to bring Midnight Castle to its knees.” Adagio paused as she smiled and began to head back to the castle. “Then, we can eat them.”
The projection ended. Flash shook himself and blinked a few times. “That felt weird.”
The Rainbooms and Sunset could only stare directly in front of them with expressions of shock and disgust. Twilight, however, was scowling and her entire face had turned red with anger. Then in a voice that was much too calm to be natural, she said, “I’m going to kill them. All three of them. Repeatedly.”
“Let’s start with stoppin’ them, first, Sugarcube.” Applejack said she placed a hand on Twilight’s shoulder. Twilight reluctantly nodded. Applejack then turned to the rest, “Come on, Y'all! Time to prove what our magic can do!”
Twilight looked among her friends and thought about how to best the Dazzlings, “And there's only one way to do it!”
“We're getting the band back together?” Pinkie asked as she jumped up and down giddily.
Rainbow placed her hand on Pinkie shoulder and nodded with her eyes closed, “We're getting our band back together!”
“Whee!” Pinkie cheered as she jumped into Rainbow Dash’s arms and hugged her around the neck.
“Ooh, what song are we going to play for the counter-spell?” Rarity asked as she pointed out they did not have a song crafted with the counter-spell incorporated into it.
Rainbow went back inside and come out with Fluttershy notebook. She skimmed through it and found one, “I know just the song.” she said as she handed the book to Twilight, “Fluttershy's written a really great one.” she said as she turned to Fluttershy. The druid then squealed in delight over the recognition.
Twilight mouth the song as she read it and after she finished it she looked to Fluttershy, “This is just the song.”
Applejack nudged Fluttershy, “Told yah it was third act song, Sugarcube.” Applejack then turned to look at Rarity, “Since about to save the world for, what, the ninth time, maybe we can do it in style.”
Rarity’s eyes widened in delight, “I thought you'd never ask!”
The green mist continued to grow, but most considered it to be part of the show, a trick version of dry ice. The Dazzlings took the stage and cast off their black robes and revealed their new attire. They each wore bedlah that were white in color, the metal on Sonata’s was blue, Aria’s was purple and Adagio’s was orange. Sonata’s ethereal wings were revealed, and they were very much like the pectoral fins of flying fish.“Ahh, ah-ah, ahh
Ah, ah-ah, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah
Ah, ah-ah, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah
Ah-ha, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
Ah-ha, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah,” the three harmonized as they walked to the center of the stage, their rubies starting to glow as they absorbed the mist, clearing the stage.
“Welcome to the show,
We're here to let you know
Our time is now” Adagio sang by herself as the three brought their hands to be parallel to their chests, extended their arms and opened them wide as if to welcome the audience, like hostesses greeting guests as her focus gem started to glow and project a clock that hands stopped when she sang ‘Now’.
“Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah,” Aria and Sonata harmonized in between each of Adagio’s line.
“Your time is running out.” The three sang in unison as the raised their right hands and pointed to the audience. Once the sang the word ‘out’ the projected clock then seemed to self-destruct.
“Ah, ah, ah,” Aria and Sonata returned to harmonizing before Adagio rejoined them.
“Ah-ha, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah…” The Sirens sang together.
At the top of the amphitheatre, the Rainbooms now dressed in black skirts with multiple copies of their aura marks on their skirts, with leggings that were colored as the rainbow of Twilight’s amulet, Applejack’s coin, Rainbow’s pin, Boneless’ leg, Fluttershy’s flower and part of Rarity’s shawl. They all also wore sleeveless shirts, Twilight’s was much like a star-filled sky, Applejack’s was green and brown, Fluttershy’s was yellow for the base with pink going over her shoulders, Pinkie’s was white and pink, Rarity’s was regal magenta and Rainbow’s yellow, ice-blue and red. They each had their instruments in hand arrived and looked down. Rainbow “How are we supposed to play over them from up here?” Rainbow asked in a slight panic.
“With more music.” came Sugarcoat’s voice. The Rainbooms all turned to see the Shadowbolts dressed in similar attire, each with the focus akin to own aura marks, and had leggings that were purple in color with Sour incorporating her bearskin shirt, and with their own instruments, Indigo with a guitar not unlike Rainbow, Lemon with a sampler, Sunny a bass, Sugarcoat a keyboard and Sour with her own set of drums.
“About time you showed up!” Rainbow cheered as she walked up to Indigo and the two fist bumped. “Where have you guys been the whole time?”
“Long story short, about an hour after we left the library, we realized that none of us knew how to write a song and all our attempts to write one came out sounding like complete garbage. Lemon thought we should just put someone else’s song through several layers of translation spells, translate it back to Common Speech, and hope no one notices. Sunny couldn’t compete because that would have been perceived as nepotism, Sour didn’t want to risk humiliating herself and I knew better, but Indigo didn’t want to back down from a challenge, and well, you know the rest.” Sugarcoat informed in her blunt monotone-like manner.
Pinkie and Rainbow looked at each other and asked in unison, “That was the SHORT story?”
“For the first act,” Sugarcoat then continued. “For act two, when we saw that Trixie and the Illusionists were replacing you, we knew we had to step up. That fact was further compounded when Sentry and his cohorts returned following their failed clash with the sirens before they went looking for you.” Sugarcoat then looked around and noted the absence of the Flash Drives. “I take it that they are getting the medical attention they need.”
“Fluttershy, Sunset and Ah did what we could, but to quote mah brother, ‘eeyup’.” Applejack informed. “But let’s focus on what matters, beating them Sirens.” They all turned their attention.
“Here’s the music sheet,” Sunset said as she handed each of them a copy of the song.
“Laying the whole friendship thing on thick,” Sour commented with a very sour sounded groan. “But this will be AWESOME!!!” She shouted with almost cavity-inducing sweetness.
“Feel the wave of sound
As it crashes down
You can't turn away
We'll make you wanna sta-a-a-ay
We will be adored
Tell us that you want us
We won't be ignored
It's time for our reward
Now you need us
Come and heed us
Nothing can stop us now,” back on the stage the Dazzlings continued their song. From their rubies came arches that grew in size and then launched into the air before it came crashing down into the audience. The audience first tried to shield themselves but were swiftly overcome with the Siren’s magic as their pupils constricted and turned to face the Dazzlings. Back on the stage the rubies continued to glow and surrounded the sisters in blood red auras and began to lift them into the air before the bathed them in their own ball of the same red aura. Inside each ball, the Sirens continued to sing as their true forms began to manifest, which while was partly like the illustrations of in Bullion’s autobiography, retained their current sensual appeal. The orbs then dissolved back into the rubies. The Sirens’ powers fully resorted and more powerful than ever.
“Oh-oh, oh-whoa-oh
I've got the music in me
Oh-oh, oh-whoa-oh,” At what looked like the Sirens’ moment of triumphant they heard the Rainbooms sing as they and the Shadowbolts started to perform Fluttershy’s song.
“Don't need to hear a crowd
Cheering out my name
I didn't come here seeking
Infamy or fame,” Twilight took the microphone and began to sing on her own as the rest played. Their song causes everyone in the audience to be temporarily freed as they turned to look at the Rainbooms and the Shadowbolts.
“The one and only thing
That I am here to bring
Is music, is the music
Is the music in my soul
Gonna break out (Out!)
Set myself free, yeah
Let it all go (Go!)
Just let it be, yeah
Find the music in your heart
Let the music make you start
To set yourself apart,” The rest of the Rainbooms joined Twilight as their items that were keys to the box with the Rainbow of Light and their aura marks glowed and in the center of their chest images of the Elements of Harmony appeared, with the image of the Element of Magic appearing over Twilight’s head.
Back on the stage Adagio smirked as she held her ruby “So the Rainbooms want to turn this into a real Battle of the Bands?” She asked with a grin on her face. “Then let's battle!” The three nodded took a breath.
“What we have in store (ah-ah)
All we want and more (ah-ah)
We will break on through (ah-ah)
Now it's time to finish you!” The sirens sang and got the audience to turn back to them and placed them again under their bedazzlement. As they finished the verse, the sirens’ eyes became fields of red light and their rubies glowed before they projected astral forms of themselves, but the projections were much more monstrous in their appearance.
For just short of forty seconds, only the instruments played. As the music played, the astral forms of the Sirens’ flew towards the heroes and then circled them not unlike sharks. After a few seconds, the Rainbooms were able to conjure from their instruments astral projections of their aura marks that were able to attack the sirens, not unlike the spell magical missiles. At the forty second mark, Twilight vocalized as she launched the astral projections of her aura marks at Adagio. This was little more than a nuisance to the lead siren as she and her sisters harmonized their own vocalization and forced the Rainbooms and the Shadowbolts to their knees. In the process, Twilight lost her microphone as it was sent flying before it landed at Sunset’s feet.
Sunset picked it up, in part shocked that the counterspell was not working and that the microphone came to her. There was a moment of doubt on her part. Was this a sign that she was deemed reformed, was she worthy, was it a test, what if she failed, did it even mean anything? She was set free of her doubts when Twilight called to her and reached her hand out, “Sunset, we need you!”
Sour was the first of the those with instruments that recovered and started a drum solo as Sunset stepped to be in front of the Rainbooms and between them and the astral sirens. Sunset took the mic in both hands and started to sing, “You're never gonna bring me down
You're never gonna break this part of me
My friends are here to bring me 'round
Not singing just for popularity,” as she sang, the rest were able to get back to their feet and started to play their instruments.
“We're here to let you know
That we won't let it go,” Twilight and Sunset sang as they shared the microphone.
“Our music is a bomb and it's about to blow,” the Rainbooms joined as the astral sirens snarled and prepared to charge.
“And you can try to fight
But we have got the light of,” Twilight and Sunset sang as the sirens closed the distance.
“Friendship on our side!
Got the music in our hearts
We're here to blow this thing apart
And together, we will never
Be afraid of the dark
Here to sing our song out loud
Get you dancing with the crowd
As the music of our friendship
Survives, survives!” The rest of the Rainbooms joined in. As they sang harmonies, Twilight and Sunset raised their left and right hand respectively and seemed to conjure a rainbow which sent the astral sirens back to hovering above their physical bodies. In the process breaking the spell they had on the audience. The rainbow hit the Sirens as the Rainbooms sang ‘apart’ and forced the sirens out of the state there were in that allowed their eyes to be red and seemed to drain them. After they sang ‘dark’ the projected images of the Elements of Harmony sent beams to Sunset’s collar and broke it and each sent a small beam into chests of the Shadowbolts, as Applejack’s went into Sugarcoat, Pinkie’s into Lemon, Rainbow’s into Indigo, Fluttershy’s into Sour and Rarity’s into Sunny, with the image of the Element of Magic being sent into Sunset’s forehead.
“Got the music in our hearts
We're here to blow this thing apart
And together, we will never
Be afraid of the dark
Here to sing our song out loud
Get you dancing with the crowd
As the music of our friendship
Survives, survives, survives!” The Shadowbolts finally joined in the song at the start of the refrain, and as the verse progressed, person by person, everyone else in the amphitheater began to join them. Above the Rainbooms and the Shadowbolts, the rainbow that Twilight and Sunset launched receded and began to collapse upon itself before it changed into astral towering being that looked just like a demigod with elements linking it to the Rainbooms, the Shadowbolts, and Sunset. The sirens were in utter horror as the astral demigod pooled magic into its hands and sent it as a beam at the astral projections of the sirens, destroying them. The beam continued towards the sirens, striking them, destroying their rubies, dissolving their wings. In short, transforming them into human forms they were disguised as.
“We will be adored
Tell us that you want us
We won't be ignored
It's time for our reward…” Back on stage, once everything had cleared, the Dazzlings got back up and tried to sing again. However, they were off-key and they were not able to finish as the audience started to boo and heckle them until they ran off the stage in utter defeat and humiliation.
Back at the top of the amphitheater, Sunset turned her attention back to the others, “Guess that explains why these gems were so special to them.” She then focused solely on Twilight, “Still want to kill them, repeatedly.”
Twilight lowered her head, closed her eyes and shook it, “Without those pendants, they're now harmless.” She paused for a second and gave a nervous laugh, “For the most part.”
Back on the stage, Cinch stepped on to the stage with her own microphone. Everyone was silent as she spoke, “Given the interference during the Dazzlings’ performance by the Rainbolts,” Cinch snapped her fingers and had a projection of the band roster with the word ‘Rainbolts’ written where ‘Rainbooms’ should have been, all in Twilight’s handwriting with Twilight’s signature as proof of authentication. Every one of the Shadowbolts and Rainbooms turned to Twilight who gave a nervous laugh and blushed. Cinched continued, “their failure to have all members at the start of the competition. and their failure to show up for their session, they are disqualified.” Before anyone could protest, Cinch cleared her throat. “As for the Dazzlings, their song and performance were not sufficient to win.”
Trixie, who was in the audience then started walking to the stage with her head up, as if she was expecting to be declared, the victor. “However, even Trixie and the Illusionists have also engaged in foul play as they have trapped the Rainbooms.” Cinch informed as she had a projection of Trixie snapping her finger and the lever being pulled to trap the Rainbooms. After letting everyone mutter and chatter for a second. “Therefore, the winners of Midnight Castle’s first Battle of The Bands are the Flash Drives!” There was a spotlight that then shown on the Flash Drives as they arrived in the amphitheater. Everyone cheered as Cinch left the stage and was joined by Juniper.
About an hour later, after almost everyone had congratulated the Flash Drives and headed home, with most of the band heading back to the barracks. Flash was looking for Twilight as he walked only to bump into someone, “Sorry,” he said as he turned to help the person back to their feet only see that it was… “You know, Twilight, we’ve got to stop bumping into each other like this,” Flash said with a laugh. “By the way, that was amazing! I have to admit it, The Rainbooms rule!” As he saw the smile on her face, “Just do me a favor and don’t tell Rainbow Dash.”
The two shared a small laugh before they heard Pinkie’s voice, “Twilight. Twilight! Where are you?”
Before Flash could speak, Twilight took his hand and pulled him away.
Elsewhere, “I can’t find Twilight.” Pinkie pouted. “She went to congratulate Flash, but she should be back by now.” The rest giggled a little before Trixie walked up to them. “What is it now, Trixie?” Pinkie asked as everyone turned to the illusionist.
“You all and Twilight Sparkle may have vanquished the Dazzlings,” Trixie said in what sounded like a backhanded compliment. “But none of you will never have the amazing, show-stopping ability of the Great and Powerful Trixie!” she declared as she threw a smoke bomb on the ground and made a smoke screen.
After the smoke cleared and everyone was finished coughing, Pinkie held her cheeks in terror, “She's gone!” she screamed only to be followed by a pause as she spotted Trixie. “Oh, wait. There she is.” Everyone turned to see Trixie leap over the side of the amphitheater separating the arena from the seats. She landed with a thud.
“Trixie's okay!” Trixie said.
The next morning, after the portal between Mystica and Midnight Castle, was opened from the other side “Well, I guess this is goodbye.” Sunset said to Twilight, Rainbow, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie, and Fluttershy.
“We can open the portal whenever you need us. All you have to do write us,” Twilight said.
“Plus, if we let Apple Bloom take a look at it, Ah’m certain she can make something we can bring over so that you can open it yahrself, Sugarcube.”
As they were about to go through the portal, “Wait, where’s Flash?” Rarity asked. Twilight gave a nervous laugh which caused them to turn to her, “Twilight-darling?” she asked.
“Um, I think he’s at the barracks. Could you let him know we headed home? And look at the time!” Twilight answered too quickly after waiting too long to answer the question before she went through the portal.
Before the rest could say anything, “I’ll make sure he gets home safe and sound.” Sunset offered. The rest accepted and then went through the portal back to Mystica. Sunset shook her head with a smile before she turned to head back to the classes on using one’s innate magic that she was teaching to help relationships between Midnight Castle and Mystica.
Epilogue
Much later in the day, as the sun was setting, as Sunset was in her room, she was now free from her sentence and the collar. She opened the book that she used to communicate with Celestia with and now she would be communicating with Twilight. She looked at the last entry, of Spike telling her that help was on the way. Sunset took a pen and started to write.
Dear Princess Twilight,
Missing you already, and I hope you and the others will be able to come back soon. Things are definitely looking up for me here. But I know I still have a lot to learn about friendship. Hope you don't mind if I write to you for advice when I need it.
Your friend, Sunset Shimmer.
Sunset was about to close the book but stopped and jotted some more down.
P.S. Please let Princess Celestia, my mother, know that I love her.
Elsewhere in Midnight Castle, in the labs underneath it, Cinch and Juniper approach the machine with a large cylinder full of liquid. Juniper took out a set of three test tubes full of blood. “Are you sure this is a good idea, Baroness?” Juniper asked as she put the test tubes into a one hatch of the machine, “It only been a couple of weeks since we added the samples of Princesses Celestia, Luna, and Cadance and the avatar of chaos, Discord, I collected from the medical exams after that ice cloud incident in the Mystica Games. And just yesterday we added the sample from Tirek.”
“If there was going to be a problem then it would have presented itself by now. Do it.” Cinch ordered. Juniper obeyed and added the samples. The samples were taken and then three syringes went into the bath and pierced what looked like the arm of a ten-year-old girl. Cinch gave a grin, “Soon.” looking at the girl, in the bath, she was hauntingly similar to...
Twilight Sparkle
Back in the recently completed Castle of Friendship, the floor of throne room pulsated multiple times showing a faint outline of a map of Mystica each time.
Songs used, "Tricks Up My Sleeve"
and "Welcome To The Show"
And there it is, the end of The Sirens' Song, okay that leaves...
"Beyond these rooms, beyond these walls" Yes the answer to the Friendship Games,
"Now the magic is my salvation", yes and Legend of Ever...
"I wish you'd all just go away andleave me alone!" And the summer shor...
"Open up your eyes!" Thank you, Temp...
"I'm sitting here alone"... I didn't forget you, Wall...
"Welcome to the Well of Shade!"... (signs) Well, it could be...
"Will we fail or will we pass?"... You just aired last Saturday!
Okay, my rate is usually one chapter a week, okay that's about 20 weeks to cover all that.
Well, I might not get to the season 8 opener, but I'm on track to have it all done for the Season 9 opener.
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Great chapter! My suggestion for the next story is dealing with the MLP DnD version of Cell. Seriously, that's the vibe I'm getting from Midnight Sparkle in this! Just insert some of Cell's theme music and it adds to the creep factor.
8829466
Chances any failsafe Cinch may have to counter her creation... fails?
8829727
It was nice of you to give the Flash Drives that one small victory after everything that's happened. So, I guess we're waiting for Cinch's plan to horribly backfire on her next, huh? Okay, then.
8829925
Well, Flash might have received a greater reward.
8829931
I´m curious regarding the Sirens´fate. In further stories, it has been stated they lost their Siren aspect and are currently missing.
I wonder if Cinch captured and put them into prison (without her talents, they are more or less useless).
In any case, this version of the Dazzlings is too sociopathic to make them redemption material.
8829939
I'm keeping it open-ended for now.
It depends on what Hasbro does with them for the rest of the year and before the launch of Gen 5.
I knew it!!!! Sci-twi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
On a side note, at least now i can catch up with the rest of the fics!
🎶"So I sneak out to the garden to see you/We keep quiet 'cause we're dead if they knew/So close your eyes, escape this town for a little while"--"Love Story," Taylor Swift🎶
Why do your FlashLight scenes keep reminding me of Taylor Swift's old songs? You don't even listen to Taylor Swift.
Nice epic conclusion.
And, damn! Cinch experiment will be sure a big trouble!
8830261
Actually I don't listen to Taylor Swift. The only song of her's I know I have heard is one about a girl saying she and her ex are never getting back together.
8830505
Reread the last sentence of my comment.
8830519
8830261
I think my FlashLight story-telling reminds you of the older Taylor Swift songs because great minds think alike
1. Will the Dazzlings ever reappear? 2. What, no Chrysalis sample? 3. Where can I find the episodes that happen between the other stories that you've written?
8830902
1) It's open-ended until Hasbro makes a call to do something with them until the airing of Gen 5
2) Have to wait to see how season 8 goes, but these samplers in the Authors notes are things I plan to write that is known... for the most part.
3) I am not aware of anyone else actively writing My Little Mages, so I can't give you an answer.
Very little I can say beyond, well, superb work on the story overall. The characterizations, exchanges, action, general story wrap-up and future story set-up are all well done in all the right places. The Dazzlings definitely made excellent villains (not only were they legitimately dangerous, but they also had some darn good taunts).
And now, going by chronological order, I'm going to guess that the Cell - err, Friendship Games analogue will be next. And probably the final chapter of "Great and Powerful Amendments" after THAT (given "No Second Prances" was AFTER Starlight reformed but BEFORE Chrysalis's mass-kidnapping/replacing of the royals and Element Bearers). THEN the "Legend of Everfree" analogue (which COULD include the "friendship retreat" B-Story of "All Bottled Up" in greater detail as a way to logically explain the presence of Twilight and her friends).
Okay, sorry about that. Kind of got caught up in my thoughts. I get that this is YOUR universe (which means you call the shots) and I have to respect that.
But, any way, I'll very certainly be looking forward to more stuff from this universe.