Twilight’s Backstage Pass

by Lonely Fanboy48

Hidden In the Grassy Hedge Maze

Author's Note:

Starlight Glimmer, along her friends continue to enjoy the Starswirl Festival. Rainbow Dash was really happy that she got the chance to hang out with Dirt Thistleweed even it wasn’t Starlight’s intention.

“Girls, I did what I could to use my hands on an instrument. I didn’t mean to annoy your favorite band.” Starlight looking at her hands in disappointment.

“Don’t feel that way.” Fluttershy replied. “At least Dirt and his band didn’t ban us from the festival.”

Rainbow Dash hadn’t spoken a word since she refused to overwhelm the Princess’s friend. After the last hour, she decides to have Pinkie Pie or Fluttershy show Starlight more of the festival’s activities.

“Sooo...what do you want to do next?” Pinkie wrapping her arm around Starlight.

“I don’t really know. Should we find where Twilight and the others are at?”

Rainbow and Fluttershy mostly agree with Starlight, but Pinkie Pie has so many ideas she and her friends can do together. “How about we play a game, then we can go get some ice cream?”

“Sure. What game do you want to play?”

Pinkie Pie grabbed Starlight’s arm as she pulls her to where she wants to play. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy catch up Pinkie from behind. When Pinkie and Starlight went past so many people and stands, they’ve stopped while Pinkie pointed at the Hedge Maze.

“Hide and Seek in the Hedge Maze!”

Starlight and the others looked at the Hedge Maze. Like the last Starswirl Festival not long ago, the maze itself remain the same as it is, but anyone who hasn’t stepped inside the maze would get lost.

“Hey, that’s the maze Sunset went to.” Rainbow smiled.

“It doesn’t look too big.” Starlight said as she saw two entrances from the left and right. “Sure, we can play hide and seek. You can go hide in the maze and I’ll count to twenty to find you.” She’s about to offer Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash to join but when she turned around, they immediately fill her in.

“Sorry Starlight.” Fluttershy placing her hands behind her back. “I have to use the bathroom.”

“So do I, I drank a soda this morning and it travels so fast.” Rainbow added.

“It’s okay girls.” Pinkie Pie cheered. “By the time you all get back, It will be Starlight’s turn to hide.”

After Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash made their way to the restrooms, Pinkie Pie shows Starlight the map of the hedge maze in the higher view so she can see where she’s going.

Then Aria popped her head behind the trees with her leader by her side. She thought the Princess Of Friendship or Sunset Shimmer is hanging out by the maze but as it turns out, she was wrong.

“It’s that pink doofus again!” Aria whispered.

“Wait a minute.” Adagio staring at the purple girl. “Why does that girl seem familiar?”

“What’s your point?”

Adagio and Aria reportedly looked at each other until they turned their attention back to Pinkie and her friend.

“Okay, in case you can’t see in the dark, here’s a flashlight!” Pinkie Pie lifting out a flashlight from her pocket.

“Pinkie, why would I need a flashlight? There’s lights in the maze.” Starlight pointing at one of the entrances.

“Come on, think of being in a dark tunnel while trying to save your best friend from getting lost forever. That’s what happened to one of the characters in the Daring Do movies.”

Starlight did watch the premiere of the Daring Do movies and remembered the scene where Daring Do’s friends are being rescued in the dark with Daring Do holding a fire torch in her hand.

“Okay but I’m not like Daring Do.” Starlight giggled. When her friend handed her the flashlight, She tries to hold it but she ended up dropping it due to her hand disabilities, which actually took Aria and Adagio’s attention without blinking.

“She’s just like the princess.” Aria commented.

Adagio had no words at all with only a smirk of confidence on her face. “Well, even without our magic, we can still take somewhat of an advantage.”

Starlight covered her eyes and counts to twenty while Pinkie Pie heads to the Hedge Maze. “Twenty, Nineteen, Eighteen.”

“Let’s get inside the maze!” Adagio forcing Aria. “Now!”

“Thirteen, Twelve, Eleven, Ten.” As Starlight is halfway done counting, Adagio and Aria rushed there way into the left entrance of the maze to put their new plan in motion.

“Five, Four, Three, Two, One!” Starlight finished her counting and uncovered her eyes. She enters the right entrance of the maze and turns on her flashlight. She couldn’t believe how amazing the inside of the hedge looks with the lights decorated on the top and sides. While the maze itself is small, the effort inside explains everything.

Starlight Glimmer went to every direction in the hedge to find Pinkie Pie but it became much more challenging. When she went to three of the four open spots in the maze, Pinkie was nowhere to be found. “Geez, Pinkie knows how to hide.” After going through all the spots and hedge ways of the maze, Starlight arrived to the last open spot but unfortunately, she didn’t find her.

In the lower right open spot, there’s a photobooth for anyone or with their friends to take four pictures. Inside, both Adagio and Aria are inside, spying on Twilight’s friend. Luckily for them, none of her friends are anywhere to be seen which gives them more of an opportunity to further their plan. They left the photobooth as they placed their hands on their hips.

“Hello…” Adagio spoke for her attention.

Starlight Glimmer turned around as she saw two girls she hasn’t met in her life. Not to mention that Rockhoof didn’t specifically told Starlight the enemies he faced during his past. “Oh...hello…” Starlight waved which made Adagio laughed. “I’m Starlight Glimmer.”

“I’m Adagio Dazzle and this is Aria Blaze.”

“We’re the Dazzlings.” Aria introduced herself. “We’re a band of three girls just to show off our musical vocal cords.”

“Really?” Starlight responded. “Who’s the other third member in your band?”

“Sonata Dusk.” Both Aria and Adagio looked at each other. “Let’s just say she’s the least smart of the group.”

“Not to mention she has an appetite of tacos.” Adagio rolled her eyes while also crossing her arms.

Starlight Glimmer couldn’t believe that her friends didn’t show her this band in the festival yet. The outfits the Dazzlings are wearing looking promising, not to mention their looks make them feel like a band.

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you two.” She lifted her hand for a handshake to which Adagio shook it. “Are you performing your band today?”

“As a matter of fact, we are until sunset.” Adagio replied.

“Same goes to tomorrow.” Aria added. “Are you willing to watch us perform?”

“Of course, what songs are you going to sing?” Starlight asked.

This made Adagio and Aria flinched a bit. Since the first day they become one of the bands in the Starswirl Festival, they had limited songs in their new lives.

“Actually, we only have one song. We’re still trying to think more in the meantime.” Adagio said while breaking the handshake.

This made Starlight slightly disappointed that the Dazzlings only can sing one song for later. “Well, your band must be new right?”

“You can say that, for the most part we’ve been a band before we came to this festival.” Aria glaring.

“We do have other songs, but the festival won’t accept our old ideas.” Adagio signed.

“Man, you had old songs and you have no other choice, but to make new ones just so you can be a part of this festival?” Starlight asked.

“That’s just how the business works.”

Out of all the bands Starlight’s friends have been talking about, the Dazzlings feel like the least popular in the festival. Starlight felt depressed to see Adagio and Aria’s group being swallowed in the predicament they’re still in.

“Wait, I got an idea!” Starlight shouted which surprises the Dazzlings. “My friends are also in a band. Do you want me to have them watch your performance?”

Aria is furious as her nerves have been pinched yet again until Adagio hit her arm with her elbow. “Sure! Besides it would be delightful to meet your friends in person.”

“Wait, you would actually do that?”

“Yes.” Aria rubbing her arm. “We’re going to be performing at the other side of the festival.”

“Don’t be late, believe me, we are watching while performing.” Adagio smirking while placing her hands on her hips again. She and Aria left the open spot as they make their way back to their RV until Adagio stopped when she enter the maze. “And one more thing, keep our band a secret from your friends. You don’t want to spoil the surprise to your closeted friends right?”

“Oh! I will, good call!” Starlight smiled.

Adagio leaves as Starlight has something that will make her friends really excited, or at least surprised. Then Rainbow and Fluttershy enter the open spot after they both went to the bathroom.

“Hey Starlight.” Fluttershy replied.

“We’re back.” Rainbow added.

“Girls, there’s a band performing at sunset. You are going to enjoy them!” Starlight reacted in happiness.

“Really, who are they?” Fluttershy wondered.

“I’m not going to tell you, it’s a surprise.”

“A surprise huh? I like surprises.” Rainbow grinned.

With two of her friends knowing what they’re going to do later, it’s only a matter of time to get Twilight and the others to know what’s coming in their way.

“Wait, did you found where Pinkie is hiding?” Fluttershy asked.

This caused Starlight to remember the game she’s playing with Pinkie. “Oh I almost forgot!” She wasted little time as she rushed back to the hedgeways. “I couldn’t find where Pinkie is hiding.” She made her way to the left side of the maze with Rainbow and Fluttershy following from behind.

“Did you look in every spot?” Rainbow recalled.

“Yes, it shouldn’t be this hard to find where sh-”

Then Pinkie Pie popped her head out of the bush from the top. “Here’s Bushie Pie!”

This caused Starlight to collapsed on her back from the jumpscare. “Pinkie!”

“What? I wanted to make this game interesting!”

“Is hiding in the bushes is considered cheating?” Rainbow asked.

“And scaring your friends?” Fluttershy added.

“Come on, one of you would the same thing during our time in middle school.” Pinkie getting out from the top of the hedgeway.

“I’m pretty sure anyone in middle school would still play plain old hide and seek.” Starlight retorted while getting back on her feet.