Part III: Redmption's Flower || Chapter 25: Uncertainty and Anxiety
The girls filed into Principal Celestia’s office. Right away they knew something was wrong, though none of them could put their finger on it.
Applejack decided to take the plunge. “Ms. Celestia, we’ve just seen some new dark magic at work here at Canterlot High. And it’s centered on those three new girls…”
“Dark magic?” asked Celestia skeptically. “I find that very hard to believe. Those girls came into my office earlier and were absolutely delightful.”
The girls’ hearts sank instantly.
“Hmm,” Luna mused. “Perhaps Sunset is just eager to make someone else out to be a bad element, so that her actions at the Fall Formal will become old news.”
All the color drained from Sunset’s face. She felt Fluttershy’s hand grab her own and squeeze. Absolutely stunned, it took her a few seconds to respond. Her voice was shaky. “I could see why you might think that, but…”
Rainbow was getting angry. “That's not what's happening!” she broke in. “We saw all of this go down in the cafeteria too!”
“Yes, Rainbow, but isn't your band supposed to be part of the Musical Showcase?” Celestia asked pointedly.
Rainbow paused, seeing where this was going. “Yeah,” she had to grudgingly admit.
“Perhaps you're all just worried that the Dazzlings will steal your spotlight,” Luna continued.
“The ‘Dazzlings’?” Applejack asked with some incredulity.
“It's the name of their musical group,” answered Celestia airily. “That's why they came by my office earlier today – to sign up for the Showcase. Even sang a little song to Luna and me.”
“They did?” Applejack asked with a mixture of disappointment and distaste.
“Yes. And we think having a Battle of the Bands instead is a marvelous idea,” Celestia gushed.
Outside the Principal’s Office the girls gathered supportively around Sunset, who was looking stricken. Rarity took Sunset’s face in her hands. “That’s not them, darling,” she said vehemently, shaking her head. “They’re under the Dazzlings’ spell. They would never, ever say something like that to you otherwise. You know that, don’t you?”
Sunset swallowed, trying to keep from crying. Fluttershy was still holding her hand. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them again, she saw the others all looking at her with concern. “I’m so glad I have you guys,” she finally said. “I don’t know how I’d get through this without you.”
Rarity pulled her into an embrace. The other girls joined right in. “Don’t you worry, Sunny,” said Pinkie. “We’ll make sure you don’t have to deal with them tonight. You can stay with me. I’d better be the one to ask – might look suspicious if you do it. Plus I don’t think any of us want you to have to face them right now.”
“Thanks, Pinkie,” Sunset said with gratitude.
Pinkie gave her shoulder a last squeeze, and went back into the Principal’s Office.
“We’ll get to the bottom of this. We’ll get them back,” Applejack said. “They love you. We just have to figure out how to break the spell and they’ll realize it again.”
The girls ended up outside, lounging listlessly around the portal statue.
“I can’t believe they got to both of them!” Fluttershy moped, referring to the principals.
“It seems like they’ve gotten to everybody!” said Rainbow Dash with equal discouragement.
“Not everybody!” Pinkie pointed out in a sing-song voice.
Applejack stood up. “You know, you’ve got a point, Pinkie. We were there when the Dazzlings were singin’ and we weren’t affected. It was like we were protected somehow.” This got Sunset thinking again.
Rainbow was agreeing with Applejack. “So let’s take them down! It’s not like we haven’t tangled with dark magic before and totally whooped its sorry butt!” Instantly she winced. “Oh! Sorry, Sunset – no offense!”
“None taken. Again.” What is it with them today? It’s like one step forward and two steps back! But I guess this is what I deserve. Sunset sighed heavily once more. I wonder what sigh number I’m on so far today? She wondered sadly to herself.
“But that was when Twilight was here,” Fluttershy pointed out. “There may be some kind of magic inside us, but it only comes out when we play music. I sure don’t know how to use it to…whoop anybody’s butt,” she finished, giving Sunset’s arm a comforting rub.
Rarity sighed. “If only we could get a message to Twilight. Maybe she could tell us how to break the spell the Dazzlings have cast on our school.”
“Well, that’s not gonna happen. The portal’s still closed for another 28 months,” Rainbow noted, gesturing emphatically. She failed to notice that she had knocked over Rarity’s nail polish onto her arm. Rarity began to gasp dramatically. “And I’ll bet they don’t exactly have cell phones where she’s from.”
Cell phones. Cell phones. Sunset mused. Something about what Rainbow had just said was causing a tingle in her brain. A few moments of silence passed, broken by Sunset as she emitted a gasp of her own. She spun around, taking her friends in with a single look. “I have an idea how we can get in touch with Twilight!”
“Seriously?” asked Applejack, intrigued.
“Seriously. Come on. I need to get to my locker!” They all followed her back into the school.
At her locker, Sunset retrieved a heavy, dusty brown leather book. As she began to wipe the dust from the cover, revealing a stylized version of her own cutie mark, she filled in her friends.
“When I was Princess Celestia’s student back in Equestria, she gave me this book. Even after I abandoned my studies, I held on to it. Deep down, I guess I knew I was making a big mistake, and I wanted to still have a way to reach out to her. Maybe it will still work.”
Rarity did not understand what Sunset was getting at. She was actually a bit worried about Sunset’s sanity – she had been under such pressure the last two months, and now her adopted family was under a dark magical spell. “That’s a book, darling,” she pointed out, not hiding the concern in her voice. “What do you mean, ‘maybe it will still work’?”
But Sunset was undeterred. “It’s a communication device that uses magic. It used to be that if I wrote something in here, the same thing would appear in the pages of a corresponding book in Princess Celestia’s library. If I can get a message to her, then maybe she can get a message to Twilight!”
The other girls looked amazed. Rainbow recovered quickest. “So what are you waiting for! Get to writing!” And with a broad smile, she handed a pen to Sunset.
“Girls, I can’t guarantee that it will work,” Sunset hedged. “It may be that with the portal closed…”
“It’s worth a try!” Rainbow pressed.
Sunset nodded. She opened the book and took a deep breath. Slowly, she started to write. “It’s been a long time since I’ve written these words. Dear Princess Celestia…” As she wrote, they saw her face fall a bit. Rarity realized that Sunset almost certainly was including an apology in the body of the letter, even if only a brief one.
“Girls,” she said to the others. “Let’s give her a little space. This can’t be an easy letter for her to write.” Sunset smiled at her gratefully.
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Ouch. Poor Sunset here. It must have been a knife in the heart to have Celestia and Luna brainwashed by the Dazzlings.
8771433
I can hardly imagine. I tried -- I hope it's realistic.
8773310
Believe me, it was, I should know.
😔
Alright, I'm warming up to the idea of reading Rainbow Rocks but a little different. Even though the differences aren't the biggest, they are significant and offer new perspectives on old scenes.
She is using her phonebook! Or, alternatively, a textbook, just written text, and she is text messaging.
Well looks like the girls are on their own with this one sadly since the sirens had to get Celestia and Luna under their spell as well.