Prologue: The Stellar Exile

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The smoke cleared revealing a crater, six people walked to the edge, three men and three women. Well, four actually walked as two flew. One of the two who flew was a woman dressed in a white dress that was little more than what would cover her breasts, her stomach to her knees, sewed above her heart was a depiction of a necklace with two pearls on each end, over it was a whitish clear loose overdress. On her head, over her dark arctic blue and moderate turquoise hair, was white head cover with a golden band in the front with what looked like a crescent moon with the points pointing towards the heavens. At her heels were a pair of ethereal wings that were like a falcon’s, which revealed herself as a Skyborn. Over her eyes was a white blindfold, which she took off and revealed her grayish blue-violet eyes. “Stygian’s plan worked,” she commented as they all were taking in that they had won.

“Looks like your hope in this was well placed, Somnambula,” the other one who flew, a man said, which made the recently identified Somnamubla smile. Like her, he was a Skyborn, but his ethereal wings were like eagle's wings, he had brilliant turquoise eyes with moderate amaranth hair, hidden under his helm. He was also the only one the group with actual armor, which was a series of what looked like straps of iron bound together to look like a shirt over a long red tunic, with an embroidered blue feather over a render of mountain peaks in the right sleeve. On his left arm was a bronze colored figure-of-eight styled heater shield with a four-pointed star with stylized wings above an olive branch etched into it.

“Now’s not the time for that Flash Magnus,” one of the four on the ground said as he stepped forward to be at the edge, the speaker was a towering man, in his mid-thirties, just over eight feet. He was an Earthborn, with grayish blue eyes, moderate gamboge with gold-like stripes hair, beard, and mustache. Behind his left ear, some of his hair was done in a braid. He wore a brown leather and fur tunic and pants, with fur covers for his forearms and lower legs, with a leather headband. He had tattooed on his right shoulder was a Valknut and in his hand was long shafted shovel which seemed to sharpen along the sides than most.

“Now calm down, Rookfoot, sugar,” came one of the others on the ground. Like the recently identified Rockfoot, she too was an Earthborn. As she spoke she removed the plaque mask she wore, which was designed to look like a parrot, but was yellow and blue in color, and showed her brilliant turquoise eyes as she took hold of Rockfoot’s left hand. In addition to the mask, she wore a grass green dress. Her hair was pink and scarlet and done up.

“Rookfoot-san is right to be concerned, Meadowbrook-san,” the remaining woman in the group spoke-up as she placed her left hand on the recently identified Meadowbrook's shoulder. Unlike Somnamubla and Meadowbrook, she was a Magicborn, which was hinted at by the wearing of what looked like a headband with a stone on her forehead. What also made her stand out was that she looked to be in her late eighties, with pale light grey cerulean eyes. Beyond that she was even more different from her allies, with her dress, which was a fog-like bluish kimono with a stylized cloud of mist rendered to take up the back of kimono and her focus gem was a pearl, which was unique to where she was from. But those were not the most peculiar things about her. No, what was most different about her was her hair, which seemed to float on its own, like mist, and was of several colors namely gradients of grayish arctic blue, turquoise-ish gray, grayish turquoise, and malachite greenish gray. She then turned from the recently identified Meadowbrook, “So what do we do know, Star Swirl-sensei?” she asked the last of the group.

The last of the group was a man, he too was a Magicborn that seemed to be in his late sixties early seventies, dressed in a long gray tunic, with a series of five-pointed stars and various swirls. Over it was a blue cloak and long brimmed pointed hat adorned with stars and moons with bells sewed to them. He had dark violetish gray eyes, with long light gray hair and beard. He turned to the other Magicborn, “We cast them into the void of space, Mistmane,” the identified Star Swirl said to his addressee, the recently identified Mistmane. He then preceded to tape the ground as azure-ish gray magic pulled a fairly large mirror out of it with the reflective part facing the pit. Star Swirl then started to mutter what sounded like nonsense as he aimed his magic at the mirror. Once he finished his incantation, from the mirror came a light that pulled something from the pit the six looked down into, the light of the magic obscured the what it held save for the faint silhouette of what looked like three women. There were screams of fright as the light vanished.

“Why didn’t we just kill them, Star Swirl?” Rockfoot asked Star Swirl as the sorcerer preformed another spell in silent that made the mirror shrink to the point that he could place it in a pocket in the cloak as everyone turned to Star Swirl.

“I have to agree, killing them would have resolved the matter permanently.” Flash Magnus concerned as he and Somnambula landed while Star Swirl put the mirror into a pocket.

Somnambula, Mistmane, and Meadowbrook each placed a hand on either Flash’s or Rockfoot’s upper arm, “Now before we get into an argument, maybe we should hear Star Swirl’s reasoning and what he actually did,” Somnambula offered in consul to her compatriots, Mistmane and Meadowbrook nodded in agreement, much like one parent silently affirming a united front with the other. Reluctantly Rockfoot and Flash Magnus sighed in protest, but in the ended silently agreed with their sisters-in-arms.

“Death is but one fate that would resolve the matter with them. There are many others, being sent to the stars forever is one of them.” Star Swirl informed as he headed away from the group, in order to inform the villagers that the threat was over. It was more of a non-answer, but Star Swirl was not a man known to provide answers.

The five looked to each other not entirely sure if Star Swirl’s plan to banish their foes to the stars was a good idea, “I am not a fluent in the language Star Swirl used as I should be if I wish to compare notes with him as often as I want, but the spell didn’t have the word for 'forever' in it, the phrase at the end translates to ‘until sunsets no longer at midnight’," Meadowbrook commented as she thought back on what was said in the spell.

“But the sun never sets at midnight, because it never actually sets, and where the sunset it's not midnight there but midnight elsewhere. Conversely, you could argue that the sun always set at midnight, as the sun would set at one place while it is midnight somewhere else in the world.” Mistmane countered after she took another few seconds to think further, she found that she agreed with Star Swirl, “So in a roundabout way, Star Swirl’s spell did banish them forever," she confirmed her stance.

“We can only be brave enough to hope in the strength of Star Swirl’s sorcery. But for now, let’s heal the people and restore the beauty that was almost destroyed by those three monsters,” Somnambula said as she took to flight following Star Swirl. The rest shrugged their shoulders or shook their heads before they joined their comrades.

Two thousand years later:

Three stars fell into the sea, within a few minutes three female humans emerged from the sea and walked onto the shore. They were dressed in long black robes that had hoods that currently covered all but their lips and chins, and around their necks was a necklace of a black cord with a ruby. One had a treble clef with a light orange gem next to it embroidered on her robe, one had a purple five-pointed star-shaped gem over a forte symbol on hers and the last one had a heart with an eighth note stylized to have a slight lightning bolt theme. “So much for that,” the one with the purple five-pointed star-shaped gem over a forte symbol on her robes commented in what sounded like a complaint in a tone that made her sound like she was disinterested, but there was an underlined glee, which the other two picked up on easily.

“Star Swirl was kind of stupid just casting that spell,” the one with the heart with an eighth note stylized to have a slight lightning bolt theme on her robes said in a very chipper tone. “But where are we?” She turned her hooded head around, not unlike a lost child.

The one with the treble clef with a light orange gem bent down and picked up some of the soil. She held it to her nose and took a sniff. She then let it fall from her hand before she cleaned it with the ocean's water, “Same planet, some other part,” she answered as she looked around the area. She soon spotted a minotaur with long horns and a long wavy red colored coat, wearing what looked to be a skirt. He seemed to be panting as if he was near the end of his rope. “But first, who’s hungry.” The other two turned to see the minotaur and chuckled as all three of their gems started to glow as the three started to sing, “Oh-whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh.”

Be-Dazzling

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As the summer began to draw to a close, almost two months later, the three female figures that emerged from the sea, now wearing long monastic black robes with hoods hiding most of their faces save for their feminine lips and chins arrived at a ledge that allowed them to see a fairly large castle and a city that seemed to be much more advanced, but they seemed to be connected to each other. The one with the treble clef and orange gem embroidered on her rodes took off her hood revealing that she had raspberry colored eyes, with orange hair with yellow streaks, which was long and extremely curly, while exposing her palish yellow skin, “Well, well, well, look what we have here?” she asked as a faint green mist seemed to float from the city towards the three as their gems glowed the three laughing all the while. Before they started to sing, “Oh-whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh.”

Once the mist had been distilled into their gems, “Such rawr, untouched potential” the one that took off her hood said with a smirked.

The one with a purple five-pointed star-shaped gem over a forte symbol embroidered took off her hood, revealing that she had moderate mulberry eyes with moderate purple hair with light brilliant aquamarine streaks, which was done as two ponytails, and her skin, which was slightly pink. “I hope you’re not thinking we do the same thing we did last time,” she groaned.

The final figure, the one with a heart with an eighth note stylized to have a slight lightning bolt theme, then took off her hood, revealing that she had moderate raspberry eyes, with light arctic blue hair with moderate persian blue stripes, which was done in a ponytail, her skin was slightly bluish white. “Well, Adagio’s plan worked until those six showed up.” The other two rolled their eyes at the third's apparent stupidity.

“Don’t worry,” the one with orange hair with yellow streaks said as she turned to look at other two. “There’s more than one way to skin a cat.” The three then began to chuckle at that as they all turned back to the city as another green mist seem to rise.

The following morning, in the city itself a young woman was walking. She wore a royal purple top which went below her hips, with a yellow skirt, a large orange sash went around her waist with a golden sun with the center vacant as some sort of buckle for the sash on her left side. Part of her top was black leather that went over her shoulders and covered her back and seemed to come back to the front around her navel, there was a series of studs in the leather at her shoulder. That all said her arms and legs were mostly bare save for the black heeled shoes on her feet. On her head was a tiara that was shaped to look like the sun-shaped buckle in the front with a gem that looked like a red and yellow yin-yang but there was no red dot in the yellow and not yellow dot in the red. She had cyan eyes and her hair was sunset red with yellow stripes that made her hair looked not unlike strips of bacon. Her name was Sunset Shimmer. Something that should be noted was that around her neck was a collar with a lock on it, denoting that she was a prisoner on parol.

She was not alone was she accompanied by five other women, the first had shoulder length pistachio green hair with pale green and bright lime streaks, over her ears were a set of earphones with an image of a slice of lemon tart with a gem embedded on both sides, her eyes were closed and she was bobbing her head to the music she was playing, and was dressed in a sleeveless pale amaranth shirt that also exposed her midriff with a pair of pants grayish arctic blue in color, a black lightning bolt embroidered on the front with a purple plaid skirt, this is Lemon Zest.

The next woman had rose hair with light rose and aquamarine streaks in a ponytail, with a hairpin that looked like three berries on a leaf , but she wore pair of pants light grayish gold in color, with a sleeveless shirt made from the coat of a bear, with a black lightning bolt dyed in the front, with the bear’s own mouth as the opening for her right arm. This was Sour Sweet.

The next woman had with cerise eyes, mulberry hair and was cut short with small bangs all around, with raspberry streaks and a flaring yellow sun hair clip. She was dressed in the long robes of a cleric, with a black lightning bolt over her heart. She had a holy symbol on her left side, the symbol looked eerily similar to Celestia’s aura mark, but while Celestia’s mark gave the aura of warmth and growth, this sun looked like it was going to engulf the solar system in it’s raging plasma. On her right side was a war mace, as if she was a War Cleric. in her hair was a hair clip that looked like a flaring yellow sun. This was Sunny Flare.

The next woman had dark cornflower blue hair with cerulean and arctic blue streaks, with her hair combed up and back not unlike a mullet. She also had gamboge orange eyes and stylized yellow lightning bolts earrings. She was dressed in what looked like a close fitting variant of what martial artist, but was a tighter fit, both being closer and her leggings shorter, not unlike a professional athlete, with a black lightning bolt on her shirt. She had bracers that covered most of her forearms as well. At her heels were a set of ethereal wings that were indigo in color and looked more lightning bolts and on her head was a set of goggles. This was Indigo Zap.

The last woman had opalish gray hair with arctic bluish gray streaks done in two ponytails to the sides of her head, with glasses over her orchid eyes and a hair clip that looked like a set of lips. She was dressed in a long light brown robe which hid her feet, but her hovering betrayed her nature as a Skyborn. On the front of her robes was a black lightning bolt. This was Sugarcoat. Together with Indigo Zap, Sunny Flare, Lemon Zest, and Sour Sweet, the five half-sisters made a group called the Shadowbolts, named after their late father Shadow Bolt. The six young women had returned last night from another fruitless search for the missing Angus McSteer and were in Midnight Castle’s court having breakfast, while in the background was a woman in her early twenties with a wizard’s cap and a cape adorned with stars on a purple field, she also wore blue gloves, a black dress with knee-high boots, she also had light blue hair and purple eyes. Around her waist was a buckle shaped like a wand topped with a star and a cape with a series of stars, was performing various tricks and simple illusions to entertain the host. After completing one trick and receiving applauds, with several people throwing money on to the stage. “The Great and Powerful Trixie is most thankful, you have been a wonderful audience. Trixie shall be back in three hours for the next show.” The woman collected the money and then threw a smoke bomb and was gone when the smoke cleared.

However, even while Trixie was performing, many of the others in attendance sporadically gave Sunset an evil eye and or glare of death. This was not unnoticed by Sunset and the others she sat with. “You’re still not like here.” Sour Sweet stated while Sunset tried to hide her face.

“I am never going to live the whole thing down.” Sunset groaned, ashamed of herself.

“You tried to force the Element of Magic to attune itself to you, become a demoness and attacked us. It wasn’t like you spiked the punch at a school dance.” Sugarcoat pointed out, only to get another groan from Sunset.

Lemon took off her headset, “Yeah, even after a month of helping us search for Angus, who still remains at large, you think they let up, and with the upcoming music contest kind of puts a downer on it.”

“And that’s not addressing the recent discovery of our residents inherent magic and your help with setting up the school to help teach, deary.” Sunny added before she looked to Sunset’s pack, “So are you going to let Princess Celestia how things are?”

Sunset Shimmer groaned as she let her head fall to the table. “That would be a ‘no’.” Indigo, she really had no update on the matter. She had not made much headway in either the set up of the school that Cinch had requested, such there she was able to teach a few, beyond the Shadowbolts, but few people trusted her. There was also the whole thing with Angus. She thought Angus would go to the abandoned inn, just on the eastern board of the domain, granted only the criminals of lowest caliber of mental capacity were the ones that thought they were in the clear the moment they left the nation had committed crimes in would actually use it for a prolonged hideout, but it was a place to collect oneself. However, most criminals never made it that far since Cinch became the Baroness. From what Sunset gathered, Shadow Bolt was almost a one-man army and police force and was very effective at securing the domain, with the exception of being captured by Longhorn, but even that ended in Shadow Bolt’s favor.

Sunset lifted her head and gave a sigh. “Well since we are taking three days before we launch our next search and last night those three strangers arrive… well, they could use a real tour of Midnight Castle and it dominion with some pointers for the laws…” Sunset got up from her seat and headed out of the hall. She stopped at the doorway, “maybe if I can show them the new me before they learn about the old me…” She stopped there and gave a nervous laugh before she left. Before she fully turned the corner, “Do you girls mind getting all the people you can to met up in the wing of the castle that’s the school’s temporary location?” The five nodded. “Thanks, you’re the best!” Sunset called back as she ran to her destination.

“This is going to blow up in her face.” Sugarcoat stated as she returned to her meal. The other four nodded and went back to their meals.

Elsewhere in the castle, the three young woman that arrived in the city late the previous night had finished getting dressed in their black monastic robes. “That was the best sleep I’ve had in forever.” The one with light arctic blue hair with moderate persian blue stripes said as she fell on the bed she used, showing her ankles and a set of an ethereal wing on them, revealing herself as a Skyborn.

“So what’s the plan, Adagio?” the one with moderate purple hair with light brilliant aquamarine streaks asked as she leaned against the wall as she turned to the one with orange hair with yellow streaks who was sitting on her bed and in thought, all the while she, the purple haired one, seemed to be bored.

“Oh Aria,” the chipper one ask jumped back on her feet.

“Go back to sleep, Sonata and let the adults talk.” the purple haired woman, recently identified as Aria, groaned back to the recently identified Sonata.

“Hey Adagio, I think Aria woke up on the wrong side of the bed.” the recently identified Sonata said as she hovered to be right behind the recently identified Adagio.

Aria growled as she punched the wall, which resulted in a small crack and revealed herself as an Earthborn.“That’s because you took up most of the bed, you little…”

“ENOUGH!” Adagio roared as orange magic encircled the other two and forced them both to a wall. Both could also see that there was a faint orange glow which was barely visible and came from under the robes in the area of her pelvis. As the spell was ended, and the glow ended, it revealed that she was a Magicborn, and her focus gem was most likely part of a belly-button piercing. “Remain calm for now.” She ordered, “We need to know more about the layout. Now come on.” Adagio then opened the door, the other two followed her.

Once all three were outside, “Good Morning, I hope you three slept well.” they turned to see Sunset Shimmer approach them. “My name is Sunset Shimmer, and if you don’t mind, I would like to show you around.” She offered her right hand to the group.

Adagio smiled at this, “Thank you, Miss Shimmer.”

“Sunset, please.”

“All the same. It is very hospitable of you to show us around. But where are my manners, “I am Adagio Dazzle” Adagio said as she placed her left hand on her chest, and then gestured to the other two, first Aria, “these are my sisters Aria Blaze” and then to Sonata, “and Sonata Dusk.”

Sunset was taken aback slightly by that statement, the three girls look extremely different from each other,“You don’t…” Sunset started to ask as she tried to process the fact that and reconcile it with the statement.

Aria rolled her eyes before she addressed the elephant in the room, “Our dad never could keep the pigskin closed.”

“Oh,” Sunset said as she tried to find a tactful way to continue, “Sorry, about that.”

“It’s not your fault our daddy loved his women.” Sonata chimed-in innocently.

Sunset was dumbfounded at first but after a second or two, she was able to speak, “Well, you're not the first group of people I met with the same father but different mothers. Some guys just can’t control themselves, can they?”

Adagio chuckled a little at that comment, it was clear to Sunset that Adagio knew something, but Sunset couldn’t figure out what. After her laugh, “While Aria is correct concerning our father’s,” Adagio paused as she tried to think of the words, “lack of discretion with whom and how many bedded, he wouldn’t have bedded any of our mothers if they did want it. It takes two to tango.”

Sunset nodded as she accepted that fact, “True.”

“So when do we start the tour?” Sonata asked. Sunset nodded and began the tour of the castle and the city itself.

A few hours later, as the tour neared its conclusion, “And this wing of the castle has been recently set aside for magic lessons.” Sunset informed.

“Magic lessons?” Sonata asked truly curious, not that Aria and Adagio weren’t also intrigued by this but they elected to let the more airhead sister ask.

Sunset turned to face the three, “Well you see, I am not actually from her, I from the nation of Mystica, it’s across the ocean, and as such, I was born with and trained to use innate magic with me. I am what’s called a Magicborn where I am from, as my magic leans itself to the arcane and more ethereal magic.” Sunset did a quick look at Sonata specifically, “Now I can tell you’re a Skyborn, Sonata, because of your ethereal wings, as such your magic is more elemental in origins.” Sunset then looked at Aria and Adagio and tried to figure out what they were, but she really couldn’t tell if either was an Earthborn or a Magicborn. “I am not sure about Aria and Adagio.” She then went back to her main point, “But back to my point, most of the people here either didn’t have this innate magic or it has been untouched and unrecognized for over a thousand years. But not long after Midsummer’s Day, many of the people around our age and younger have had recent… discoveries of their power and as part of international relationships I am here to help them develop their skills.”

Sonata then saw a sign with various instruments and musical notes on it, she walked up to it slightly entrance by it, “Ohhh! You’re having a music contest.”

“It’s slated for three days from now, it’s kind of a fundraiser, not that it's really needed. This place is a lot like my home nation, a very small government for a nation of its size, lean government spending, low taxes and low expenses.” Sunset listed off as she explained what the reasoning for it. “Also it’s a nice way to blow off some steam. Well, I got to mentor, you might want to go to the tailor and get something other than those robes.” Before Sunset headed to what was set to be a classroom, she spied the rubies the three wore. “That’s a nice gem. Never seen a ruby like that.” As if by instinct she reached out to touch the gem that Adagio wore.

Adagio slammed Sunset’s hand, “I would appreciate it if you didn’t touch them. They’re from our father.”

Sunset rubbed her hand as she apologized, “I am sorry.”

“Don’t take it too hard, ‘Dagi’s bark is worse than her bite.” Sonata chimed. This got Aria to chuckle.

Adagio was about to growl but elected to put a smile on as she walked to Sonata and grabbed her by her shoulder, as she did so, Sunset noticed both an orange glow from her hand and barely noticeable one from under her robes located in the area of the pelvis. “You go on, thank you for showing us around.” As she pulled Sonata back she then grabbed Aria by her shoulder and began the two back, “We’re going to visit the tailor.”

“Um okay…” Sunset then went into the room, which was another wise empty room of around century of the residence of Midnight Castle around her age. They were training with some guidance from the Shadowbolts, save Sugarcoat, and while for most of them would be taken down by most thirteen-year-olds in Mystica, but they on their way. “Well, things seem to be going well,” Sunset commented to Sugarcoat, but Sugarcoat could tell that something was amiss concerning Sunset.

“What’s bothering you now?” Sugarcoat didn’t beat around the bush as she looked at Sunset. Sunset was about to brush it aside, “You know I know your True Name. So…” She elected to not continue as she knew Sunset would correctly infer the implication.

Sunset sighed, “I don’t know why, but there’s something weird about the three.”

Sugarcoat shrugged, “You might be overthinking things.”

Outside the three sisters were outside and were about to go in. Adagio looked at her sisters and then to the door. “This is it, girls. The moment we've been waiting for.”

“Lunch?!” Sonata asked almost obviously and clearly wanting something to eat.

As Aria covered her mouth and giggled, Adagio could do nothing else but groan at first. Adagio then placed her hands on Sonata’s shoulders and looked straight into Sonata’s eyes, “The chance to get our full power back.”

“Oh. Right.”

Adagio released Sonata and turned back to the door, “With all this recently discovered and untouched powers, and their lack of training, our voices are just strong enough that if they want something at all, we can to show them how badly they want it, so badly that they'll fight to get it.”

“So we're just gonna do what we always do? Stir up some trouble and then feed off the negative energy of these mortals?” Aria was not really asking but pointed out that this was a basic copy and paste of every other plan thus far. “Some plan, Adagio.” She commented with sarcasm and sardonic oozing in her tone.

Adagio turned to Aria, and glared at her before she grabbed Aria by the collar of her robes, “It won't be the same as the times before! There is great magic here, like the one of those that sent us away, and no one with the knowledge of us or how to defeat us.” Aria had to concede that point. Adagio continued, “Now all that raw negative energy will give us the power we need to get this entire world to do our bidding.”

“But we can get lunch after though, right?” Sonata asked as she pulled out poster from her robes with a picture of a taco with the words, ‘Taco Tuesday’. “It's Taco Tuesday!” She then smelt the poster and gave a blissful sigh.

“How do you even know what a taco is?” Aria asked utterly befuddled at her sister’s recent obsession with an item the trio just now heard about.

Adagio took the poster and ripped it to shreds in one second flat, “Just follow my lead.”

Or my lead,” Aria said as she looked away as if she was plotting something.

Adagio grabbed Aria by the collar and looked into her sister’s eyes as if looks could kill. However, after a second she spoke in a horrifyingly calm voice, “We are not having this debate again, Aria. It was your idea to let Bullion live. Had he died there would have been no record of us before we made our move.” She then pulled Aria so close that the only thing Aria’s eyes could focus on was Adagio’s eyes which flash a harsh red. “We will be following My lead!” Adagio ordered and let her sister go.

As Aria recovered from Adagio’s assertion, “She’s never lead us astray thus far.” Sonata added. Both Adagio and Aria rolled their eyes, they loved their sister, but she was known to push it. Adagio then pulled the doors open as she, Aria and Sonata began to sing, “Ah, ah-ah, ah-ahh
Ah, ah-ah, ah-ahh
Ah, ah-ah, ah-ahh
Ah, ah-ah, ah-ahh” as they threw off their robes, Adagio wore a royal purple dress that left her upper arms and her belly button exposed, showing a belly-button piercing that ended with an orange gem that was inline with the center of her pelvis. Aria wore a white shirt with dark purple pants and a small sleeveless green jacket, while Sonata wore a short pink dress with a dark purple short sleeved shirt which looked similar to a toned down marching band shirt. All three still had their necklaces and the rubies on them flashed. Everyone else stopped what they were doing turned to see the three. Slowly Indigo, Lemon, Sour, and Sunny slipped to be with Sunset and Sugarcoat.

Adagio took the lead, while Sonata and Aria harmonized ‘Ah, ah-ah, ah-ahh’ for her while mimicking her, as she walked among everyone, softly touching each one, either on the head, hair, arm, and in the case a few of the young men, their chest, “We heard you want to get together
We heard you want to rock this school
We've thought of something that is better
Something that changes all the rules
Why pretend we're all the same
When some of us shine brighter?” At that moment the three’s rubies began to shine.

“Shine brighter!” Aria and Sonata echoed, their voices in harmony as the room was suddenly awash from the shine of the three rubies.

Adagio stopped at one young man, just past eighteen and still very boyish in his appearance, she took his chin in her hand and batted bedroom eyes at him,“Here's a chance to find your flame
Are you a loser or a fighter?” She then walked to be in the center of the room to be with her sisters.

The three then sang together, each speaking in a direction of the rest, “Me and you, you and me
Why don't we see who is better?
We don't have to be one and the same thing
Oh, what's so wrong with a little competition?
Are you afraid of failing the audition?” All the while everyone but Sunset and Shadowbolts stared to look at each other with narrow eyes as if they didn’t trust one another and were prepared to strike first.

Adagio broke from her sisters and approached Trixie, and held her (Trixie) by her (Trixie) chin with her (Adagio) right hand, with a faint glow of the hand and the orange gem “You're a star and you should know it
Yeah, you rise above the rest.” Trixie began to levitate surround by the orange aura, but it was as if she was being lifted to be with the stars.
“It doesn't matter who you hurt
If you're just proving you're the best” Adagio ended her spell which caused Trixie to fall onto another in the room. Trixie seemed to get the message, if she wanted to be the Greatest and Most Powerful, she would have to break a few eggs in the process.

“Ah, ahh-ahh-ahhh
Battle! You wanna win it
Let's have a battle, battle of the bands
Let's have a battle, we'll go all in it
Let's have a battle, battle, battle
Battle of the bands”The sisters sang as they broke from each other and began to traverse all those there, noting that they were already dividing themselves.

The sisters were joined by all but Sunset and the Shadowbolts chanting “Battle!” four times. With each ‘Battle!’ separated by one person speaking, the first was a woman looking at another, “I can beat you!” and was replied to by the other after the second ‘Battle’ with “Ha! You wish!” Which was followed by the third ‘Battle!’ as Trixie spoke up, “Trixie needs this.” followed by the final ‘Battle!’, during which Adagio’s eyes flashed lime-green for a second, only to have someone shout out, “Not if I get it first!”

Everyone then joined the three sisters seeming to just watch as the everyone began to challenge each other, with lime green mist seeming to form around everyone which went unnoticed by even Sunset and the Shadowbolts, “Me and you, you and me
Why don't we see who is better?
We don't have to be one and the same thing
Oh, what's so wrong with a little competition?”

The three sisters stopped and allowed the rest to sing, “I'm going out and winning the audition”

The sisters rejoined in the next verse, as they all sang the mist become visible to Sunset and then to the Shadowbolts, which caused Lemon to stop bobbing her head with the song, “Battle! We wanna win it
Let's have a battle, battle of the bands
Let's have a battle, we'll go all in it
Let's have a battle, battle, battle
Battle of the bands!” The mist was drawn to and absorbed in the three rubies.

As the song ended, as everyone began to head out each person looking at the others as if they were going to tear each other’s throats out. Followed by the three sisters, “You can sign us up as the Dazzlings.” Adagio said before she, Aria and Sonata left.

“Why do you get to pick the name?” Aria whined.

“We could call ourselves the Si…” Sonata started only to have her mouth shut by Aria and Adagio.

“You’ll have to forgive my sisters, they can be idiots sometime, namely Sonata,” Adagio informed as she and Aria left taking Sonata out with them.

“Humh, back in Mystica, Musicals usually took place on Thursdays,” Sunset commented. The five other looked at her with their faces both contorted in confusion and deadpan. “Sorry, just thought a little humor would help us out.”

“That was quite a display of music-based magic.” Lemon said, “Battle!” she cheered earning her a glare of all the others.

“Despite how childish the name of the showcase has become, there really isn’t a better term for what to call it.” Sugarcoat stated plainly. “Also, seeing how quickly everyone seems to be at each other’s throats, a request for aid from let’s say Twilight and her friends might be warranted.”

Answering the Call

View Online

Elsewhere in the world, in a small village that seemed to be a couple hundred years of unimportant until a castle that looked extremely like some sort of crystalline tree that seemed to grow out of the ground and towered the town. Inside the castle five young women in their early twenties were currently in a room in the castle with various instruments, the first had hair that was like a rainbow in color and that was done in a high ponytail with a hairpin that looked like a stylized cloud and a tri-colored rainbow of red, yellow and blue, with cerise eyes. She wore black sock-like boats that went above her knees, with a dull purple skirt and light a dull blue shirt with white and gold wing styled sleeves. On her waist was a quiver and a bow and from her ankles came ethereal wing. Also, on her shirt was a pin of a stylized lightning bolt with wings, the wings were gold in color while the lightning bolt had the coloration of a rainbow of orange, yellow, cyan, alabaster, pink and purple. In her hands was a guitar with a stylized tri-colored lighten bolt from a stylized white cloud, She was the youngest of the group, Rainbow Dash. “This is going to be so awesome!”

The next woman had had long deep-magenta hair with a small tiara on her head with three sapphires cut as kites, this was Rarity, she had azure eyes, and she wore a long alabaster gown with some pinkish-purple with a long shawl that was composed of two rainbows in color, a traditional rainbow going the length of the shawl save for the width of one of the shorter edges which running perpendicular to the rest of the shawl was a rainbow of orange, yellow, cyan, alabaster, pink and purple, going around her back and hanging from her elbows. She was playing a white keytar with three sapphires cut into kites like the ones on her tiara. “I am more of a keyboard girl, but I must concede Applejack was right that function should trump form.”

Next was a blonde woman with green eyes, named Applejack. Her hair was done in a low ponytail and was dressed in brown pants, brown boots, a red leather jacket with some pieces of armor most notably pauldrons with stylized apples, brown gloves, a scabbard with a longsword in it which would be on her waist but was on a stand. Around her neck was a black cord that had a coin with a rendering of apples on both sides but looked like a rainbow of orange, yellow, cyan, alabaster, pink and purple. She finished stringing her bass with three stylized red apples painted on it and was making sure it was tuned. She tried it and was perfect, “If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t matter how pretty it is.”

The next woman in the room and the oldest of the five also had pink hair and teal colored eyes, but her hair was lighter shade of pink and her eyes were teal, she was Fluttershy she was dressed in a green, yellow and light blue dress with a stylized pink butterfly as a brooch for her hood, and above her left ear was a blue flower but one of its pedals was a rainbow of orange, yellow, cyan, alabaster, pink and purple. In her right hand was a tamarind with three stylized pink butterflies, “I am surprised that the Wonderbolt as asked us to perform for their Retirees Dinner.” Fluttershy said before the rest looked at her, “But I am also happy.”

After her, and the last one in the room was a woman shorter than all the others with bouncing cotton pink hair, blue eyes, this was Pinkie Pie, she wore a bear legged leotard with blue cruelly toed shoes a pink jester coat and a dark pink jester’s hat with three balloons, one was yellow and two were blue and on her jacket’s waist was a rubber chicken called ‘Boneless’, unlike other rubber chickens his right leg wasn’t the regular orange but a rainbow of orange, yellow, cyan, alabaster, pink and purple. Pinkie was at her drumsets, which had three balloons on the main drum much like the ones on Pinkie Pie’s hat. Pinkie drummed up a little. “Okay, Everyone.” Everyone then made sure their instruments were tuned. Once it was clear, “One, two, three!”

As the five played their respective instruments, the five started to sing in unison, “There was a time we were apart
But that's behind us now
See how we've made a brand new start
And the future's lookin' up, ah-oh, ah-oh
And when you walk these halls
You feel it everywhere
Yeah, we're the Wondercolts forever, ah-oh, yeah!
We are all together
(Ah, ah, oh-oh-oh-oh)
Now it's better than ever
(Ah, ah, oh-oh-oh-oh)
You can feel it, we are back (You... can... feel... it...)
And I'm so glad that we're better
Better than ever
Whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh
Oh yeah, we're better than ever
Whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh”

Rainbow Dash took over in the song, “There was a time we couldn't see
Past the differences.”

Applejack sang next in turn, “That separated you and me
And it left us on our own”

Pinkie Pie took over in the song, “But now you walk these halls
And friends are everywhere”

Once Pinkie Pie finished she was joined by the four others, “Yeah, we're the Wonderbolts forever, ah-oh, yeah!
We are all together
(Ah, ah, oh-oh-oh-oh)
Now it's better than ever
(Ah, ah, oh-oh-oh-oh)
Now that we are back on track (Now... that... we... are...)
Yes, I'm so glad that we're better
Better than ever
Whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh
Oh yeah, we're better than ever
Whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh
Oh yeah, we're better than ever
Whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh
Oh yeah, we're better than ever!”
When they finished the song, “Yeah my band is AWESOME!” Rainbow shouted as she jumped into the and strung her guitar, high on the completion of this practice.
All four of the other young woman raised an eyebrow or frowned, “Your band?” Rarity asked for herself and the others, almost offended by Rainbow’s declaration.

“Duh!” Rainbow said as she rolled her eyes at that, and brushed it aside, “It was my idea to reform the Rainbooms and got us the gig.” She then crossed her arms crossed her chest, “Besides I’m the lead singer and guitarist.”
Applejack snorted at that, “Sorry Sugarcube, but it’s all about the bass.” Applejack said as she played a few cords of her bass.

Before there would be more of a back and forth, the door to the room opened and a young man with blue hair, blue eyes stepped in. He was dressed in a leather jacket over a white shirt with a blue heater shield on the front with a yellow lightning bolt on the shield. He also wore blue denim pants and a pair of sneakers. At his side was a sword in a scabbard, on the pommel of the sword was a rendering of Twilight’s Aura Mark, and on his back was a bronze colored figure-of-eight styled heater shield with a four-point star with stylized wings above an olive branch etched into it and a guitar. “Sorry, I am looking for Twilight, I thought that she would be here with you girls.” He said as he looked around and failed to see Twilight. He sighed as he prepared to ask the obvious question, “She’s in the library isn’t she?” The five women nodded. Flash shook his head with a smile. “Well, you ladies are sounding really tight.” Flash had to admit.

“Uh, we're getting there.” Rainbow said dismissing the compliment, “Rarity's still coming in a little late on the second verse, and Applejack's bass solo could use a little work. They'll get it together in time for our Wonderbolt gig.”

“You do know it’s not just Wonderbolt retirees there, right? It’s the whole military.” Flash pointed out, which Rainbow seemed to dismiss silently, which Flash accepted with an eye-roll. “Well, I am just gonna hit the library.”

“Hoping to check out a book?” Pinkie asked innocently.

“Actually it’s the Librarian I am want to check out,” Flash said without missing a beat. A second he realized what he just said, “Um .. yeah...excuse me… I got to .. um..” Flash flustered as he slowly backed away. “Keep rockin’ it, ladies.” As Flash left he collided with the doorway with a thud. He recovered quickly and left.

All five couldn’t help themselves from not giggling a little at Flash’s stumble, “Well, someone is quite the smitten kitten.” Rarity pointed out.

“Now now girls, we really shouldn’t be so harsh on Flash,” Fluttershy scolded.

Rainbow played a cord on her guitar, “What do you say we do ‘Awesome As I Wanna Be’?”

“Um, Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy began to ask a little timidly, “I was wondering if we could maybe play the song I wrote?” She gave a pleading wide-eyed smile.

“We'll get to one of them sooner or later,” Rainbow said as she returned her guitar.

Fluttershy dipped her head with a sigh. Applejack saw that and placed her hand on Fluttershy’s, “Rainbow is thinking of the songs of the first and second act, right now, but your songs are great to close things out.” That brought a pseudo-smile to Fluttershy’s face. At that moment, Rainbow Dash then played a chord as she prepared to start ‘Awesome As I Wanna Be’.

Elsewhere in the castle, in a room full of shelves and books, and a handful of bookshelf ladders, there was another young woman. She had dark sapphire hair with two streaks, one was rose and the other was violet, with violet eyes, and metallic wings purple and gold in color which seemed to float behind her and yet also come from her back with two amethyst six-pointed stars functioning for the wings like her arm's shoulder balls. She wore a headband with a horn-like amethyst focusing gem on her forehead, with a dull blue robe with large golden cuffs, pink pants and brown boots that went up above her ankle. Around her neck was a triangle-like amulet that was colored like a rainbow of orange, yellow, cyan, alabaster, pink and purple. This was Princess Twilight Sparkle, Twilight for short and she was flying around the library organizing the books. “Okay, that’s the last of yesterday’s shipment of restocking Magiville’s Golden Oak Library.” She said to herself as she flew down to the floor and went to the door to the library from outside. “And the last shipment should arrive in…” She heard a knock at that door. “They're early.” She commented as she opened the door.

At the door was a familiar golden-haired woman with atypically orientated eyes dressed in the Mystican mail service uniform, behind her was a large mobile storage unit, “Delivery from Princess Celestia for Princess Twilight.”

Twilight flew past her and opened it. She couldn’t help but awe and gleeful laugh at the sight of the books therein. “Thank you Brighteyes,” She signed for the delivery and began to levitate the books out of the storage unit and into the library. Once the last book was in the library she saw the mirror that she and her friends used to travel to Midnight Castle. “Why is this…” Twilight started to ask. Brighteyes just closed her eyes and shrugged her shoulders. Twilight elected to just levitate it into the library and deal with it after the books were sorted. Brighteyes then blew a bubble that encased the portable storage unit, flew up to it picked it up and flew in the direction of Chantalot. Twilight could only shake her head before she shut the door and began levitating the books to their places.

As books floated to where Twilight was sorting them, Flash came into the library from the Castle itself, “Excusing me, I know the library is still closed, but I was hoping to check out a book.” He said. All the while Twilight was more focused on the books.

“Depends on the book,” Twilight answered still focused on the books

Flash smiled to himself as he used his wings to fly up in the air behind Twilight, “Well, I don’t recall the title, but I recall what’s it’s about. In it is a girl who became the apprentice to a sun goddess, saved her moon goddess sister from a demon of darkness, turned a chaos beast to stone, saved her brother’s wedding to a fertility goddess, saved a city of gems from a shadow demon, became a goddess in her own right, saved another soul from a fire demon’s possession, restored everything by giving a crystal to a tree and sent a magic-drain monster to the abyss.”

Twilight stopped as she was trying to figure if such a book existed, “I am not sure if we have a book like that.” She turned to where the fiction section of the new library was. “Do you mind waiting a few minutes.”

Flash then floated to directly behind Twilight and whispered into her ear, “As you wish, your Highness.” Twilight’s wings froze as her levitation spell on the books ended. She turned around to be greeted with a kiss on her lips. “Looks like I found what I was looking for,” Flash said after the kiss.

Twilight’s face went a deep red as she tried to look away, “Flash, stop it.” She asked as she tried to hid her blushing face. After a second Flash’s right hand held her chin as he looked into her eyes and batted bedroom eyes. He gave her another kiss on her check. Twilight couldn’t help but giggle a little. She then flew back a little and cleared her throat. “So what bring you by and what’s with the get-up?”

Flash looked at his clothes, “I am on leave for the week, and I thought I could ask you to a movie, maybe dinner.”

Twilight started to mutter as she tried to form an answer until she heard something, she flew to the ground and found a book that was glowing and vibrating. The front cover of the book had a sun that looked like a red and yellow yin-yang but there was no red dot in the yellow and not yellow dot in the red. “Huh?” Twilight asked as she opened it. She flipped through the books and found a lot of entries, not unlike her letters to Princess Celestia but these were from... “Sunset Shimmer?”

“Isn’t she in Stonlingrad? And why would Princess Cele…” Flash started as he looked over Twilight’s shoulder to see the book.

“TWILIGHT! YOU GOT A LETTER FROM…” came a voice that sounded much like a twelve-year-old boy as a purple-scaled bipedal reptile with green spines along its back, about the size of a twelve-to-thirteen-year-old boy. He stopped when he saw the book in Twilight’s hands. “I see you got the book already.”

Twilight and Flash looked at the dragon, “Oh hi Spike.” Flash said as he waved to the dragon.

“Hey Flash,” Spike said as he walked up to and handed the letter to Twilight. “And you got the mirror too.”

Twilight took the letter and began to read it,

My dearest student,
Not long after the Summer Sun Celebration, I received a request to help Baroness Cinch with her search for Angus McSteer, the only minotaur that has thus far evaded justice. Given everything that you and your friends were doing and the Mystican Games, I elected to place Sunset Shimmer on parole to help the search. I have hoped that maybe you would be able to help her and maybe learn from and teach her, to that end I have sent you the journal I have communed with Sunset through in the past with and the mirror if you wish to see her face to face. I know this is hard for you as Sunset had wronged you, but perhaps you can reach out to her in a way I could not.
Sincerely,
Celestia

Twilight then went to the book and began to read it.

Dear Prin… Mom,
There has been limited headway in finding Angus McSteer. There have been no records of him entering any of the neighboring domains, in fact, there have been no signs of him. There has been some headway in the little school, more of a training camp, for the recently discovered inherent powers among the subjects of Midnight Castle. Still have a lot of work there to do, but they are surprising swift learners. More recently three women have appeared from pretty much nowhere. They are half-sisters and go by the names Adagio Dazzle, who is a Magicborn, Aria Blaze, an Earthborn, and Sonata Dusk, a Skyborn. They are each have a strange ruby around their necks and they each are very skilled singers. However, their singing seemed to cause a green mist to form around all those listening, who are in turn start to become combatant. That mist is then absorbed into the rubies and the conflict is still there. Sugarcoat had suggested that we reach out for help, namely Twilight and her friends. If you would be so kind to pass this message along …
I love you… Mom
Sunse… your sunshine

Twilight then looked in the direction of the mirror then back to the book, then to the letter and repeated this thrice more. She then sighed, “And I haven’t finished organizing the library.” She looked at the ground and gave a sigh of stress.

Flash picked up one of the books that Twilight hadn’t put where she planned it to go yet, “Well the girls are in what I assume is the music room, I think they could take a break from their practice and there’s not that many books, the sev…” He then saw Spike, “Eight of us can get it done in less than an hour.” Flash then saw two books that were set aside from all the books. Both looked like they narrowly surprised an explosion. He was about to ask, but elected not ask, “I’ll get the girls.” he said and flew to get the others in the castle.

About an hour and a half later, and all the books that have been sent to the library organized, Twilight et al had looked at both the letter Princess Celestia sent and the entry in journal that was written by Sunset Shimmer, “Huh, three sisters that could sing and are each of one of the three races.” Applejack said before she went over to the bookshelves. As she looked at the shelves, “Hey Twilight, do have a copy of “My Rise”: King Bullion’s autobiography?”

“Why do you ask? It’s not like Earthborn families don't have Skyborn and Magicborn children, or that Earthborn cannot be great musicians in their own right?” Rarity asked as she joined Applejack as the paladin began to look for the book in question.

“Yeah.” Pinkie said as she seemed to just manifest setting on the shelf above Applejack about two arms lengths from Applejack, in her hand was the book Applejack asked for, “Pumpkin is a Magicborn and Pound is a Skyborn.”

“True but what are the odds?” Applejack said and asked as she accepted the book and began looking through it.

“Okay that might explain why you are skeptical of them being related, but King Bullion’s autobiography is an oddly specific book,” Twilight commented as she Fluttershy, and the rest joined Rarity on the ground.

“Eureka. Here it is, in what the editor called Chapter 3, but Bullion called “On My Muses” Applejack cleared her throat. Before she read aloud, “And thus concludes my apprenticeship under Star Swirl the Great… fool. Does he expect the understanding of magic to remain at what he himself can accomplish? I am by no means a humble man, but that old blowhard is looking for a serving of humble pie.”

“There is no way Bullion, would ever use that term, let me read.” Rarity said as she held her hand out for the book. As she shimmed through what was written, “(mutter, mutter) ‘A serving of humble pie..’” Rarity paused and looked up, “well I’ll be.”

“Can we get to the good stuff?” Rainbow Dash complained earning herself glares from everyone else.

Rarity began looking through the text again, “And there I heard their voices, and I was drawn to them, but a moth to a flame. Had I been on a boat I would have drawn trying to swim towards them, had another man been there my sword would have become drunk with his blood. Such voices… could not be of mortal origins. But before I saw them, I stopped. To my grave, I doubt I will understand why, but I didn’t just want to lay with them, no I was going to conquer them as I would conquer the three tribes.” Rarity kept reading from the book.

“Give me that!” Rainbow complained as she took the book, “Blah, blah enter the cave, blah blah meet three women wearing rubies blah blah one was an Earthborn with had moderate mulberry eyes with moderate purple hair with light brilliant aquamarine streaks, a Skyborn with moderate raspberry eyes, with light arctic blue hair with moderate persian blue stripes and a Magicborn with had raspberry colored eyes, with orange hair with yellow streaks. The Magicborn had focus gem that was in line with her womb and part of piercing that started at her navel...blah...bla…Sweet Celestia’s Tea Party!” Rainbow exclaimed as she slammed the book shut, “We can’t let Scootaloo read that. Not for a few years.”

Twilight took the book from Rainbow and opened it again and began reading it again in silence. As she finished reading she shut the book. “We need to get to Midnight Castle.” Twilight then flew over to the mirror. “Spike I need you to stay behind,” Twilight said as flew to the book that Celestia sent her with Sunset’s Aura Mark. With the book in her hand, she flew over to Spike to hand it to him. “I will write in the journal that Sunset has to let you know we’re ready to come back.” She flew back to the mirror and began to move the stars that could be moved, “Just align all the stars and the swirls along the sides.” At that point, all the stars were aligned properly, The stars on mirror’s left side and the swirls on the mirror’s right side are the ones that move.” Twilight said as she began moving the swirls. “Girls, go get your stuff, including your instruments.”

“You’re going to explain the plan to us, Sunset and the Shadowbolts on the other side, so you only have to say it once.” Applejack deadpanned as Pinkie Pie skipped to get the instruments everyone used.

“I’ll be right back, with some more outfits.” Rarity was heading out the public exit.

“Don’t go overboard with the number of outfits.” Applejack shouted.

“Huh, you can never have too many costumes.” Rarity dismissed and headed out. Applejack could only groan in response.

“Just be back here in two hours!” Twilight shouted to Rarity.

“Of course, Darling. Fluttershy, Dashie, would you help me?” The two groaned as they joined Rarity.

As everyone else was gone, “Hey Twilight, I know this might be overstepping things, but do you mind if I come along. There are a few of my buds at the support barracks there, and maybe I can get them to help.” Flash gave a weak smile as he rubbed the back of his head.

Twilight turned to face Flash and seemed to think for a second, “Actually that might help out.” She hugged Flash, “Thank you.”

“You’re not going to share the plan with me until we’re on the other side, aren’t you,” Flash concluded after the hugged ended. Twilight nodded. “Of course."

Two hours later, with everyone ready to go. Twilight finished aligning the last swirl, “See you soon Spike.” Twilight said as the portal opened and Twilight et al entered, once the last of the group went through, (Flash who was dragging everything Rarity deemed necessary), the portal closed and the mirror returned to normal with the stars and swirls no longer aligning.

Spike shrugged his shoulders and took a quill and parchment, “Well time to call the guys.” Spike became to write on the scroll.

Return to Midnight Castle

View Online

On the other side of the portal Twilight opened, Sunset and the Shadowbolts were in a hallway heading to Cinch’s office, “We have to tell your mother not to trust those girls.” Sugarcoat said mostly to Sunny.

“Duelly noted, dearie. But mother-dearest might have her own plans.” Sunny pointed out as she thought about what she witnessed in the classroom. “Any news from your mother, Sunset-dearie?” Sunny asked the pyromancer as she thought about the attempt to reach out.

Sunset sighed, “Even factoring the time difference, she should have written something by now.” Sunset said as she showed the page where Celestia’s response would be.

Just as they neared the door, Adagio, Aria, and Sonata stepped out, “It’s a pleasure doing business with you, Baroness. Glad we could … meet eye to eye.” Adagio said before she turned to see Sunset et al, “Hey girls, the Baroness just agreed to our suggestion to change the musical showcase to a battle of the bands.” She smirked as she took Sunny’s chin with her left hand, “Looks like mommy doesn’t have much faith is in her one and only.” Aria and Sonata both laughed. Adagio then lowered her hand and chuckled with her sisters before they elected to walk around Sunny and company. “I look forward to seeing what you got.” As the three walked away, none of the Shadowbolts or Sunset noticed the small bandages on the three arms.

Just then Cinch and Juniper stepped out, no one seemed to have noticed the satchel that Juniper had, “Mother, what deal have you made?” Sunny asked electing to not beat around the bush.

“Ms. Dazzle and her sisters made quite the argument for the show cast to be a contest, what better way to prompt those that are performing to do their best then for there to be some stakes.” Cinch commented as she turned to Juniper and gave a small nod. Juniper then left. “And I really had no counter argument. Any news on Angus?” She asked. Sunny looked at the ground and scowled, “I thought so," Cinch then went back into her office and came out with a skull that looked to be a cross of a human's and bull's, a minotaur's skull, cleaned of everything. "They came across Angus and killed him in self-defense, this here is proof of that." Cinch then turned to Sunset, "Sadly I can't return you to Celestia for a couple more days, but your parole is almost up." Cinch gave the skull to Sour and then left the six as she headed a different route then what Juniper went. Sour growled as she was about to smash the skull but stopped when she saw what looked like tooth marks, like someone or something ate the meat right off it. She then showed it to the others.

“So what’s next?” Lemon asked as she took off her headsets and they all looked at each other.

Just then Sunset’s book started to vibrate. Sunset opened it, “Heads up, help will arrive soon, Spike?” Sunset read aloud just as the portal to that was connected to the mirror opened right in front of the group. First to come out with his shield and sword drawn was Flash Sentry, and while he wasn’t in uniform, Sunset could not help but blush slightly.

Flash sheathed his sword and turned back, to look into the portal, “All clear.” he shouted. Next to come through was Rainbow Dash, who seemed to more or less playfully tackle Indigo. Followed by Pinkie Pie who jumped to hug Lemon. Next was Applejack who nodded to Sugarcube and received a nod in turn. Rarity and Fluttershy were next, Sour pulled Fluttershy into a bear hug while Sunny and Rarity kissed each other on the cheek. Last to come through was Twilight, however, as the portal closed behind her, Twilight tripped and fell down. Sunset offered her hand to help Twilight up, but Twilight didn’t accept it. This didn’t go unnoticed by everyone else. “A little harsh don’t you think?” Flash asked the question on everyone’s mind after the sight.

“So did Princess Celestia get my message?” Sunset asked.

“No, she sent the book that’s connected to yours to me along with the mirror.” Twilight explained, “I got your message.” Twilight then turned to face Sunny, “I think I know what the three women you wrote about are and if I am right, I know what happened to Angus McSteer.”

An hour later they arrived at the library of Midnight Castle, which while a fairly large one, barely made the top ten largest libraries that Twilight ever been in, but that didn’t stop her from running around it and looking at every book she could. It took about half an hour to drag Twilight, literally kicking and screaming away from the stack of books she was about to read, “But these are unabridged and annotated!”

Once Twilight removed from the books, “Now Sugarcube, what’s the plan?” Applejack asked.

Twilight took out of her bag the copy of Bullion’s autobiography and turned it to the page where Bullion described the sirens, next to it was an illustration, most likely drawn via Bullion’s testimony of them. Their faces looked very much like the Dazzlings, but they had their lips open to reveal mouths full of teeth that would make the most fearsome of sharks look like hagfish. Their eyes were fields of harsh red, from their backs came a set of wings that looked very much like a cross of an ocean traveling bird and the fins of flying fish. Their legs end in talons that seemed to process the best qualities of the talons of all the various types of raptors. Their thighs were human with the lower legs covered in avian scales. Their hands and arms were very like their legs. From what would be their tailbone, a tail not much different than a fish’s. “And Bullion want to, in his words, concur that?” Flash asked as he looked at the picture in disbelief, “Sorry but if those teeth and claws that scream literal man-eater don’t scare a guy off, the rest will prompt him to keep his pants on.”

“Obviously, they didn’t take that form when they lured their prey in.” Rarity commented with an eye-roll. Flash gave a cross of a head shake and a nod in a means to demonstrate he got the point.

"Hold on," Sour said as she placed the skull on the table and looked at the depictions of the Sirens and the marks on the skull, "Hey Twilight, do you think..."

Twilight also looked the skull over and the image again, "I would have to say that the sirens ate whatever minotaur that is the skull of."

"It's Angus McSteer, the Dazzlings must have used it as a bargaining chip to convince Cinch to have the showcase become a contest," Sour commented.

“Okay so now that we know what they are, one zap from the Elements of Harmony and bing, bang, boom we’re done?” Indigo asked.

The six Element bears gave a set of nervous smiles before Applejack spoke, “The Elements of Harmony were returned to the Tree of Harmony, long story short, we can’t use them.”

“That’s inconvenient.” Sugarcoat stated bluntly.

“Well according to Star Swirl the great’s own notes he was able to banish them to the stars,” Twilight stated as she took out the gironmum of Star Swirl the Great in which was the spell she completed. “He intended it to be forever,” Twilight said as she showed the passage.

Sunset took the book, “I know this spell, it doesn’t last forever, but until and I quote ‘the Sunset’s no longer at Midnight’,”

“That’s one of the lamest conditions for a spell I’ve ever heard.” Rainbow chimed in. “The sun never sets at midnight.”

Sunset shook her head, “No, not 'sunset' as the time of day, 'Sunset' as in my name.” Sunset then wrote out how in Bullion her name would be written and how ‘sunset’ was written. While Twilight had a panic attack that someone wrote in Star Swirl’s book she then calmed as she recalled the language, “As you can see in the language Bullion, proper names were written differently than their other version.” Sunset then wrote out how ‘midnight’ would be written as both the time of day/night and as it was as something like ‘Midnight Castle’, “And midnight not as in the time of night.”

“How did you… oh yeah, you were Princess Celestia’s student before me, sorry.” Twilight started to ask but stopped as she recalled her first encounter with Sunset.

“I am also her daughter,” Sunset muttered. “Anyway, all that did was kick the can down the road, they’re here and still a problem.”

“Looks like Bullion was right about Star Swirl, so how did Bullion best the Sirens?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Rarity took Bullion’s autobiography, “While the three fed off of the discontent and anguish their songs inspired, they too were affected by music and song. I came across this as I began to sing in fright, a nervous habit from my youth. As I sang I saw that they grew weaker and weaker. I started to sing more and more confidently and they flew back into their caverns. For a second I thought I saw that their gems cracked. And so ended my encounter with them. And with them behind me, I looked back towards the realms and smiled, ‘This will all be mine.’.” Rarity then closed the book, “and that ends the section, so what’s the plan?”

“We’ll have to overpower them in song, but how?” Applejack asked.

“Well there was a musical showcase planned, but the Dazzlings managed to convince Mother to turn it into a battle of the bands. Odds are she’s already made a deal with them that they would be in the finales.”

Flash then got up, “Well let’s increase the odds of getting to the final. I’ve got a few bubs in the support barracks that would love to rock, also it will increase the odds of this plan working altering the odds.” Flash then started towards the door.

“I am not sure that’s a good idea,” Twilight challenged and got Flash to stop. “We won’t only be increasing the numerator but the also the denominator, it might increase the odds slightly but not as much as reducing the denominator.”

“Wait, you think he and a few of his Ro-low guard buds can beat us!” Rainbow countered with a laugh.

Flash stopped and turned on a dime to face Rainbow Dash, his eyes sparkling with anger. “What’s that supposed to mean?” he growled as he dipped his head and narrowed his eyes.

“No offense, but the Guard is pretty incompetent. I heard that you guys can’t even open a bottle of water without catching on fire. You’re just a bunch of kids playing hero.” Rainbow Dash smirked, “Better leave these kinds of threats to the professionals.” she continued

“Are you saying that the Royal Guard’s nothing but a bunch of fakes?!”

“No, I’m saying that you need to dust off the Guard’s old standard from a thousand years back. I believe it was white.”

Flash’s face turned red with rage. Veins that he didn’t even know that he had were popping. He clenched his fist as if struggling to resist the urge to strangle Rainbow. However, as quickly as the change came over him, it vanished as a devious smirk grew on his face.

“I’m surprised a Blunderbolt can still hear anything, with all the mach cones they make I am shocked that any of their eardrums haven’t burst.” Flash countered. This got Rainbow Dash to drop her smile and she walked up to him with a scowl.

“Say that again, I dare yah,” Rainbow said as she stepped up to Flash as if to challenge him.

“Blunderbolt,” Flash repeated with the smirk still on his face. “Seriously did you expect that they would be the only ones with mockers of the rest of the ESM.” Flash then looked at the ceiling as if he was faking that the remembered something. “Oh I forgot, you're a reservist, which would make you a.” Flash paused as he took Rainbow’s left cheek with his right hand, and pulled on it like an aunt or uncle that was out of touch with their niece or nephew and thought the niece or nephew was still ten when they were, in fact, closer to twenty, “bench-warmer.” Flash then let go and patted Rainbow on the head, his grin ever growing as Rainbow fumed with wrath. Everyone gasped and fell silent, except Pinkie who was eating from a bag of popcorn.

“Take! That! Back!” Rainbow ordered as her fingernails started to glow black.

Flash took a breath and gave one of Big Mac’s two go-to answers, “Nnope.” Flash then turned around and walked away.

Rainbow roared and was about to run after him and tear him apart, but was grabbed by Applejack. After a few seconds of fruitlessly squirming to get out of the paladin’s hold, the elementalist grunted and pouted, “Okay, time to show him what we Blunderbolts are made out of.”

“Dashie-darling, I think you mean ‘Wonderbolt’, Flash just informed, ‘Blunderbolt’ is clearly what the rest of the ESM calls the Wonderbolts behind their back.” Rarity commented.

“I don’t know, Flash did say it to her face.” Pinkie chimed in.

“Regardless,” Applejack stepped in as she focused on Rainbow Dash, “did you really have to talk down to him and the Guard like that?”

“Hey, where were he and the Guard the, like, 7 or 8 times we saved Mystica from a major threat? I bet you can’t name one cool thing that pretty boy has done since we met him.”

“Okay Dashie, there are a few things that need to be set straight, 1) Nightmare Moon came out of nowhere and went on her way to avoid the ESM. 2) Discord can warp reality and could only be bested by the Elements of Harmony, 3) Chrysalis rigged it so that she could invade the capital when the ESM were having a war game, 4) My Nightmare Rarity episode was kept between us, the CMC and Luna and was only the one night, 5) The Tree of Harmony needed the Elements of Harmony returned to it, which only we could do, and 6) Tirek drained every one of their magic, and for the better part of that he had Discord’s help.” Rarity called attention to the uniqueness of their accomplishments. Rainbow just brushed it aside.

“Umm, well, back to Rainbow’s statement, Flash was the one who found Krystalopolies and told the princesses about it,” Fluttershy pointed out.

Rainbow shrugged at first, “Anybody who just happened to be at the right place and the right time could have done that.” Rainbow countered the example and got a few glares from the others, “So that doesn’t count.” She continued to dismiss Flash’s accomplishment.

“Hey you asked us to list what he did, you don’t get to dismiss it due to other factors.” Applejack challenged.,

Before Rainbow could respond, “Flash did try to take on Sombra head-on while the rest of us were injured,” attempted Pinkie.

“He was down in three seconds.” Rainbow pointed out, reminding the others that were there of the standoff between the sentinel and the shadow-king. “That definitely doesn’t count.”

“Sombra had you howling in pain and broken in less than one.”Applejack countered. Which forced Rainbow Dash to grumble.

“He killed Longhorn and all but Angus of the Rustlers the last time you were here,” stated Sugarcoat.

Dash opened her mouth to counter, only to find that she lacked the words necessary to prove her point. “Okay. I’ll give him that one.”

The Shadowbolts looked at each other and nodded before they all got up in unison, “Flash did make a point. While decreasing the denominator increases the odds better than increasing both it and the numerator.” She paused as she looked at the Rainbooms for a second and back to the rest of the Shadowbolts, all of whom nodded in silence, “The compatibility of us twelve as a larger musical group is dubious.” Sugarcoat said as she, Sunny, Lemon, Indigo, and Sour headed out.

“See you on the battlefield, the battlefield of the bands,” Indigo shouted more towards Rainbow Dash.

“IT’S ON!” Rainbow shouted only to be shushed by the others. “Sorry,” she said weakly as she rubbed the back of her head.

Applejack rolled her eyes and shook her head, “This happens every time. Yah let your ego get the best of yah, Sugarcube. Yah don’t think things through.”

“She’s not the only one.” Pinkie Pie commented.

Rarity groaned, “I was at a lost of ideas, Spiky was trying to help.”

“I was referring to the whole Trenderfoot… you know that guy that had the hots for AJ.” Pinkie Pie corrected.

Applejack groaned, “Don’t remind mah of that stuck up idgit. Ah should have put him tah work. That would shut him up.”

There was more spatting among the others, to which Twilight groaned as she let her head fall into the book. She looked back up and to Sunset in a desperate plea for help. It was then that she saw that there was a black collar on Sunset’s neck, not unlike the ones used on a dog, “Um Sunset, not that’s it’s any of my business but what’s with the…”

Sunset followed Twilight’s gaze and knew what she was asking about, “I’m on parole. At least until the end of the week. Once I get back to Mystica, it’s back to Stonlingrad I go.”

“I’m sorry,”

Sunset brushed it off. “Not your problem. But your friends are.” Sunset pointed towards the exit which prompted Twilight to turn and see that they were bickering as they left. Twilight sighed and followed them. Sunset was about to follow but she stopped as she thought she saw the green mist that the Dazzlings absorbed through their gems, but it like she was trying to catch fog and was gone faster than she noticed it. Sunset then followed the rest.

From above, Adagio, Sonata, and Aria watched all that unfold. “So much for the plan, we’ve been found out,” Aria said as she turned to Adagio.

Adagio smirked at first, “Don’t you feel it. Such pent-up anger. They must be from a much more power stock than those here. So it’s not going to seep out as easily, but once it does.” Adagio brought her hand to her face and acted as if she was licking something of it, “it will be delicious. And one of them is a demigod.”

Sonata then turned from what she was doing and sniffed the air, “I think at least one of them has Bullion’s blood in them.” Aria and Adagio both grinned at the news, “Isn’t that bad thing?” Sonata asked confused.

Aria turned to Adagio, “You’re right, this is going to be delicious.”

“Also I think there might be some tension between the guy and one of the girls.”

Aria groaned at first before she addressed her slower-witted sister “We all heard him call that ‘Rainbow Dash’ a blunderbolt.”

“No not her, but the one with the metal wing.” Sonata challenged like a child and pouted. Aria facepalmed herself, but Adagio took a second to think and then started to laugh a little.

“What’s so funny?” Aria asked not amused.

Adagio stopped, “Little soldier boy has a target in mind, a very high target, but she hasn’t given him a chance to fire his round.”

Aria looked at her sisters, “I still don’t get it.”

Adagio rolled her eyes, “And this is why I’m in charge because I have spell everything out for both you morons.” Aria and Sonata both exclaimed in protest, however, Adagio waved it aside, “The knight-in-shining armor’s eyes, hair, and blood aren’t the only things of his that’s blue.”

The Road to the Battle

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About an hour after he left the library, Flash was still on his way to Midnight Castle’s barracks, which also housed the Mystican support garrison. He was surprised to hear about the move, but it did make sense. As he was informed that the garrison had access to a few dragon fire candles. He then started to hear tone he recalled. It sounded like a drum set mimicking a march, but Flash could tell the difference. This brought a smile on his face as he got his guitar off of his back and arrived at the barracks. There he saw most of both the support garrison and Cinch’s retinue seated as he noted five people on makeshift temporary stage, all in their civilian clothes, not unlike Flash. Two of the five were women, one of the women had light green hair and amber eyes. She had dark cherry lipstick on while she was dressed in a pink shirt with two cherries on a steam in a white circle, a leather sleeveless jacket, leather fingerless gloves, a green kilt with a studded leather belt, this was Cherry Crash and she was playing the guitar, not unlike Flash. The other woman had purple hair with streaks of a lighter shade of purple. She had also had purple eyes and wore a black shirt that revealed her shoulders and the area of her chest around her clavicle, a purple skirt, black pants, pink wrist cuffs and a pink scarf with purple dots over it, this was Mystery Mint and she was at the microphone without an instrument.

One of the three men was at the drum set, he had mint blue hair and matching eyes, he wore an orange shirt with a ‘v’ neck and red drum with drumsticks on it. He also wore denim pants, not like Flash and like Cherry wore fingerless gloves, but his were red and were designed to help him grip his drumsticks while Cherry’s allowed for freedom of movement of her fingers. This was Brawly Beats. Next at the keyboard was a man that looked like he belonged anywhere else. He had orange hair that covered his eyes. He wore a black shirt, red fingerless gloves, blue jacket with sleeves torn off and a ‘peace-sign’ and light blue pants, this was Valhallen. The final man was playing the bass. He had black hair with two white streaks and didn’t reveal his eyes thanks to a pair of blue sunglasses. He wore a red shirt with a blue tie, blue cuffs on his wrists, black pants and white vest with what looked like a badge that was red and blue divided by a thin yellow lightning bolt, this was Ringo. It took Flash less than ten seconds to figure out the song they were about to perform when Valhallen started to sing, “Let's get down to business, to defeat the Huns” this was responded to by all the audience with a ‘hwa’ as if they were back in training and gave an exhale at the start of the first drill.

Flash then started to sing and play his guitar matching the rest, “Did they send me daughters, when I asked for sons?”

There was no pause in the music as everyone turned to see Flash make his way to stage, Ringo continued the song, “You're the saddest bunch I ever met
But you can bet before we're through”

“Mister, I'll make a man out of you,” Flash replied with a smirk before he turned to face the audience and the six continued as if Flash was always there.

“Tranquil as a forest but on fire within
Once you find your center, you are sure to win
You're a spineless, pale, pathetic lot
And you haven't got a clue
Somehow I'll make a man out of you,” The six sang together.

“I'm never gonna catch my breath,” Brawly sang solo and added a few pants to sell the act.

“Say goodbye to those who knew me,” Valhallen continued next on his own.

“Boy, was I a fool in school for cutting gym,” Flash took over.

“This guy's got 'em scared to death,” Cherry sang solo

“Hope he doesn't see right through me,” Mystery sang the line solo.

“Now I really wish that I knew how to swim,” Ringo finished off the last of the lone vocalist section as Cherry pointed to the audience.

“Be a man,” the audience sang.

“We must be swift as the coursing river,” the six on the stage sang together as the sound waves seemed to manifest what looked a spectral river that followed from the stage.

“Be a man,” the audience repeated.

“With all the force of a great typhoon,” the six on stage continued to sing as the spectral river morphed into what could best be described a spectral storm.

“Be a man,” the audience repeated.

“With all the strength of a raging fire
Mysterious as the dark side of the moon,” the spectral storm morphed into a spectral fire and then into a visage of a new moon.

About this time Twilight, Sunset, et al were not far from the barracks, “I don’t see why I have to apologize, he called me a benchwarmer.” Rainbow moaned.

Everyone but Sunset groaned, “Yah're really dense at times, Sugarcube.” Applejack pointed out. “Sometimes Ah wonder how you passed your Wonderbolt written exams.”

Sunset turned to Twilight, “Do I want to know?” she asked the demigod. Twilight shook her head. Sunset nodded in silence. A couple of seconds later they arrived at the barracks, as the audience sang ‘Be A Man’ for the first time and arrived just to see the spectral fire change into a visage of a new moon as the band finished the line.

“Time is racing toward us till the Huns arrive
Heed my every order and you might survive
You're unsuited for the rage of war
So pack up, go home, you're through
How could I make a man out of you?” Flash took over the song by himself, this caused all seven to stop, watch and listen all of them impressed to various degrees, but most noticeably were Rainbow and Twilight. Rainbow was utterly stunned, shocked even and was frozen in horror. Twilight, however, had a massive blush on her face and her heart started beating faster and faster, her breathing quickened, she felt as though stars about to go supernova had claimed residency in her very bones. The authority in Flash’s voice, the confidence, the force, it was almost overpowering. What Twilight, in fact, no one, seemed to notice was the pummel of Flash’s sword glittered and a faint purple light was seen in the area of his vocal cords for a split second.

“Be a man,” the audience sang.

“We must be swift as the coursing river,” Flash sang as the rest on the stage joined him as another spectral river seemed to form, this time it came ‘crashing’ down on the audience and followed among them.

“Be a man,” The audience repeated.

“With all the force of a great typhoon,” the six performers sang as the spectral river seemed to collect itself again to form a small storm.

“Be a man,” the audience repeated as they all got up from their seats.

“With all the strength of a raging fire
Mysterious as the dark side of the moon,” The six on the stage sang as the spectral storm morphed to look like a spectral fire that set the room ablaze and then to a visage of a new moon behind the six on the stage.

“Be a man
We must be swift as the coursing river
Be a man
With all the force of a great typhoon
Be a man
With all the strength of a raging fire
Mysterious as the dark side of the moon,” for the final verse of the song the audience, sans the Rainbooms minus Pinkie, sang along with the six on the stage. And with that, the song ended and everyone sans Rainbow Dash cheered. Flash took the microphone he sang into in order to speak. “Thank you all. Sorry, that Crash Sentry had to crash the party.” everyone on the ESM support garrison and a few of the Midnight Castle retinue had a good laugh at that joke. “But I need to talk with the other performers.”

“So the Flash Drives getting back together?” a random soldier asked. The room went silent as they all waited for Flash to answer.

Flash took a breath, “With my current assignment and the assignment of the rest, I don’t think the ‘band’ will be getting back together as a band anytime soon. Maybe down the road, but not now.”

Cherry then took her mic, “But you’re going to help us win the battle of the bands?”

Flash gave a soft smile, “And miss the reunion show?” Flash asked coyly, “Cherry Bomb, I am hurt, I thought you knew me better than that.” Everyone that had a laugh before, included Cherry had another one.

Brawly then got up from his seat behind the drums and took his mic, “Take it easy, folks, we’ll be back in a few.” Ringo, Valhallan, Mystery, Flash, and Cherry then left the stage as everyone there turned to converse with each other backstage. All the others returned to their seats and started to converse.

“We should follow them.” Pinkie said as she skipped after the band.

Every one of Pinkie’s group but Sunset groaned as the six dashed after her to get behind the stage. The soldiers there still in their various conversations.

Backstage, Ringo, Brawly, Cherry, Valhallen, and Mystery actually greeted Flash with fraternal hugs. “It’s good to see you all again. So how have you guys been?” Flash asked.

Cherry reached over Flash’s head and rubbed it messing with his hair, “Oh Flashy, you know what it’s like to be a professional warrior in times of peace. It’s boring here. Not that I’m asking for a war or battle. But maybe this ain’t the best career path.”

“Hey if we didn’t take this vocation, who would?” Ringo said calmly, in an almost prophetically deep sentiment.

Everyone gave a nod before Valhallen turned back to Flash, “So brother, what brings you by?”
Flash took a breath, he didn’t want to impose himself, but he had to get his old bandmates help, “I assume you all know Sunset Shimmer is here on parole.”

“Yeah, to help with the school for training magic and to find Angus McSteer.” Mystery answered with a small shake of her head and closed eyes as if Flash was asking for someone to explain to him the obvious. Everyone else had a little chuckle at that.

Flash’s chuckle was shorter, “About that, do you know of, the Dazzlings I think is what the trio of women that arrived before I did are calling themselves.” Flash words and manner indicated that he was not entirely sure about the three. He was given reassuring nods. “Well, they found Angus.”

“Wow, I know girls can be tough, but to successfully bring a minotaur down to be brought to trial.” Mystery started to praise.

“They did bring him, or rather part of him,” Flash said with a pause, as he noted that Valhallen, Ringo, and Brawly moved away with a bit of discomfort. “His skull,” Flash said, which caused the five’s mouths to drop open. “With teeth mark.”

“What kind of teeth marks?” Brawly asked after the five looked at each other then back to Flash.

“You’re going to think I’m crazy, but the teeth mark of sirens,” Flash said with the same degree of conviction he had when he drew his sword to fight Sombra and to fight Longhorn.

Ringo took off his glasses to reveal black eyes, “Well… you’ve never given me a reason to doubt you and we do live in a world of dragons.”

The other four looked unsure at each other for a second before Cherry spoke up, “Hey if you believe them to be sirens, then they’re sirens until proven otherwise.”

“So how can we help you slay them?” Valhallen asked.

Flash shook his head, “I don’t think they can be killed in a traditional manner. Their voices have to be broken first.” Flash then looked at each of them for a solid second each before he spoke, “And while I won’t ask for a better squad to help me tackle this. The sirens are not my fight. They are Princess Twilight and her friends fight.”

The five were again shocked at this, “Are you saying we should do nothing?” Brawly asked as he was the first to collect himself.

Flash shook his head, “Not in the slightest. We take part in the battle of the bands to eliminate the other bands so that The Bearers of The Elements of Harmony can cast the counterspell to the Sirens’ Song.” Flash looked at the five and saw that they weren’t moved. “I know you guys want to win, but there’s more at stake than a competition.”

Mystery then raised her hand, “Then, why don’t we just not compete? We do run the risk of going against the Bearers if we stay in the competition.”

Flash was about to answer but he stopped himself. Mystery had a point, was his vanity and pride so important to risk eliminating Twilight before she and her friends had a chance to cast the counterspell? Sure, Rainbow Dash was a blowhard, but was showing that benchwarmer up worth dooming humanity? After few seconds of no response, “One of them thought it was a good idea to trash talk us?” Valhallen guessed. Flash nodded.

“The paladin?” Brawly asked. Flash shook his head.

“So it was the benchwarmer,” Cherry concluded. Reluctantly Flash sighed and nodded.

The five looked at each other and then Ringo spoke, “What did she say?”

Flash looked at the floor and took a breath, “Rainbow Dash said that the Guard was incompetent, that we were just kids playing hero, and that we couldn’t even open a bottle of water without catching fire.”

From among the guards on the other side of the stage, a random guard shouted, “I’m a Pyromancer! It was one time! One time! And that was during basic training!”

“Let it go, Firebrand!” everyone else shouted.

Brawly looked to the five others with him, “How did he hear that?” he asked.

“Comic relief.” Pinkie Pie answered as she seemed to just manifest right next to him.

Brawly jumped into the air and was caught by Ringo who helped the drummer back to the ground. “How did she… where did she… what is…” Brawly spattered as he tried to fathom what just happened.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Pinkie Pie.” Pinkie said as she offered her hand to Brawly.

“Um… pleased to meet you… I think,” Brawly said as he accepted the hand and shook it and turned to Flash. Flash nodded. “Yes, pleased.”

Pinkie the set to the side and gestured to the rest, “And these are my friends, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Twilight and Rainbow Dash.” Pinkie said as she seemed to just teleport to stand behind Applejack, followed by Rarity, Fluttershy, and Twilight and then Pinkie jumped into Rainbow Dash to have the elementalist catch her bridal style. Pinkie then looked over to see Sunset, “and you all know Sunset.” Pinkie then seemed to vanish and manifest again sitting on Valhallen’s shoulders. “So what’s your name.”

“Valhallen.” Valhallen said as he took Pinkie by her arms and got her off of him, he then pointed to Ringo, “This is Ringo,” Ringo nodded. Valhallen then pointed to Brawly, “Brawly Beats, or Brawly for short. Then we have Cherry Crash or Cherry” Valhallen said as he pointed to Cherry, who gave a pseudo salute to Pinkie. “And last we have Mystery Mint or Mystery.” Valhallen finished as he pointed to Mystery who waved at Pinkie.

“You guys were awesome. I felt like howling when you sang the ‘The dark side of the moon’,” Pinkie sang the last part and was about to howl when Applejack covered the trickster’s mouth.

Applejack shook her head, “Pardon Pinkie, Sugarcubes. When she gets excited, she can go off the rails. But yall gave everyone quite the show.” Applejack compliment the group.

The five looked at each other and nodded, “Glad you enjoy it.” Cherry said on behalf of the band.

Rarity then stepped forward, “I must admit those displays were absolutely gorgeous.”

“Thanks,” Mystery said, “I wish I could do that and play an instrument while I sing.”

“Oh darling,” Rarity said as she wagged her index finger, “you don’t need to do that. You already have the instrument, your ability to project those images.” That brought a smile to Mystery’s face.

Twilight cleared her throat as she looked at Flash and twiddled with fingers, “Well, I found that your singing was really good.” Twilight said as her face went a deep red.

“We got a blusher here!” Cherry shouted and punched Flash playfully in his right arm, “and you got a keeper, Sentry.” She then slapped Flash on his shoulder, again playfully but with a little more force than what Flash would have desired.

Rainbow Dash has spent this time looking away and silent and finally spoke, “You guys were…” She paused as she looked at her fingernails, “kinda sorta okay-ish, I’ll give you that. But you ain’t no Wonderbolt and no match to the Rainbooms.”

Suddenly everyone was quiet and the temperature seemed to drop ten to twenty degrees. The five that performed with Flash all glared at Rainbow Dash, “I don’t think I heard what you just said.” Ringo said as he pulled on his ear and put his hand to it. “Care to run that by us again?”

As Rainbow was about to speak, “Don’t do it, Rainbow. It’s a trap.” Fluttershy tried to caution her best friend but to no avail.

Rainbow brush Fluttershy’s concern to the side. “I said, you were kinda, sorta, okay-ish. I’ll give you that, but you ain’t no Wonderbolts and no match to the Rainbooms.” She finished as she crossed her arms over her chest. As she spoke she ignored every one of her band and Sunset making gestures to non-verbally instruct her to remain silent.

There was a pause before Cherry lunged at Rainbow ready to kill the elementalist there and then, but was stopped by Flash, “Let me at that little hussy! I know exactly where she put her water bottle!”

“I doubt it. You’ll be waving your standard in ten seconds flat. Oh and by the way it’s the white one.” Rainbow added.

This time Valhallen roared and charged, but before he could do anything he was stopped by Brawly and Ringo, “I am from the Eastern Fjords, you troglodyte! The white shield means ‘I’m willing to talk’ not ‘I give up.’ But very soon I’ll teach you what the red shield means.”

Flash, Brawly, and Ringo, were able to force Cherry and Valhallen back, “Now everybody, calm down!” he ordered as his vocal cords glowed slightly purple. His focus shifted to the other ESM, “Don’t let her get under your skin.”

Rainbow could not help but smirk and elect to egg the situation on, “Man, why so agitated?” she laughed oblivious to her friends trying to get her to be quiet, “I didn’t say anything that wasn’t true.” She then took a couple steps closer and grinned, “What’s the matter can’t handle it?”

There was stunned silence from everyone else as the space around them seemed to get colder. Ringo then spoke in a very flat tone, “You, blunderbolt benchwarmer, you’re going down. Hard.”

Brawly then cracked his neck, “I hope you’re hungry because when the Battle of the Bands starts, we’re going to make you eat those words.” The five started to walk away.

Flash ran to be in front of the other five, “Guys, what about the Sirens?” Flash asked as he tried to stop the others from leaving the area in anger, “The Bearers have to be the ones who have to face them. Remember?” he pleaded.

Cherry walked up to Flash, “Well, I say we enter, face the Sirens, and cast the counterspell ourselves.” Mystery, Ringo, and Brawly nodded.

Valhallen then spoke, “Yeah, why should we let a group of civilians and a benchwarmer do our job?” he asked pointing back to Bearers and Sunset.

“Because you can’t even beat a Timberwolf pup.” Rainbow chimed in. As she added on, her friends could feel the blazing inferno of anger and the metallic chill of wounded pride that radiated from Flash and his bandmates. The other Element Bearers and Sunset each raised a hand and promptly slapped their palms onto their faces.

Ringo turned to face Rainbow Dash, he took a breath, “Alright, benchwarmer, you want to throw down the gauntlet, well it’s has been thrown down. Time to step-up or step-off.” The five then started to leave again, Brawly all but shoving Flash out of the way.

“Guys, no!” Flash pleaded as he tried to stop them.

The five stopped and turned to look at Flash, Brawly pointed at Flash, “Don’t pretend you don’t want it, too!” The all nodded in agreement.

Valhallen then spoke up, “Sorry, Sentry, but we can’t just take that lying down.” He then turned his gaze towards Rainbow Dash and then back to Flash, “We’ve got to enter and beat those monsters ourselves. So are you in or out?” Flash froze in utter disbelief.

Mystery then spoke up, “Sleep on it.” she was the calmest of the five, “We’ll see you in the morning. We got to get back to the show.” The bandmates then went back to the stage. As they left, they shot daggers with their eyes at Rainbow Dash. Flash turned to the Bearers and Sunset. He looked at Twilight with an apologetic frown, before he turned to give Dash a death glare and left the area.

After Flash left, Twilight turned to Rainbow, “What did you just do?!”

“I told those losers off.” Rainbow’s tone indicated that she failed to see what she did was neither the smart thing nor the right thing.

Applejack groaned, “Flash was trying to get them on our side.” Applejack wanted to yell, but held herself back, “Now, yah’ve gone and turned them against us.”

Fluttershy looked away from the group and through the curtains to see the band prepare for their next number, “Oh, what if they get hurt trying to take on the Sirens?” Fluttershy asked as she turned back to the others, “They’ve never taken on threats like them before.”

Rainbow Dash chuckled at that, “They’ll probably be out before they even get a chance to take on the Sirens.” the rest groaned and started to walk away.

Pinkie turned to face Rainbow, “You just didn't want to admit that they were good.” Pinkie pointed out.

“B-b-but they WEREN’T good.” Rainbow challenged but was ignored by the others.

Unbeknownst to everyone, there was a green mist which was pulled away by three glowing rubies.

After the seven left the garrison, Sunset spoke up, “Maybe we should try making amends with the Shadowbolts?” Everyone looked at her then at Rainbow Dash, then back to her, “Maybe without Rainbow there.”

Rainbow Dash gave a huff in indignation as they walked into three women about their age. One was Trixie Lulamoon, standing to Trixie’s right had long blonde hair and purple eyes, this was Lavender Lace and the one on Trixie’s left had shorter magenta hair with light blue eyes, this was Fuchsia Blush. Both Lavender and Fuchsia were dressed matching Trixie, not unlike bridesmaids of a bride that while wants to still stand out but also wanted her bridesmaids to look similar enough. “Well, well, well, Isn’t Rainbow Crash, so how’s flight school?” Trixie asked in a clearly mocking manner. She then turned to Applejack, “Crab Apple, so how’s the glorified pig pen?” Trixie then turned to Rarity, “Oh Dramity, love the hair, could use a little… green,” Trixie mocked the three. She then turned to see Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, “Oh hey, pink twins.” Trixie dismissed the jester and the druid. Trixie then turned to “TWILIGHT SPARKLE!” Trixie all but roared.

“Hello, Trixie,” Twilight said as she gritted her teeth in a desperate attempt to be diplomatic. “Any reason why you’re making fun of my friends?” she sighed as she recalled the last two run-ins with the illusionist, “Again.” she stated flatly before she tone shifted to be more like a teacher’s hands were tired but still had to deal with a problem student, “I thought you learned your lesson from the last time we saw each other.”

Trixie smirked at first before she started to relay her tale, “After the Great and Powerful Trixie apologized and left Magiville, vowing to never return,” her tone was a strange cross of being both cocky and melodramatic, “she wandered across Mystica, looking for a place that would appreciate her talents but found none.” She said as she faked fainting.

Rainbow groaned at first and then thought of something, “Wait, you’re an illusionist, right?”

Trixie collected herself, “Obviously I am.”

“Then, why didn’t you just join a circus or go to Las Magus or something?” Rainbow asked not beating around the bush. “Geez, you are a drama queen.”

Trixie glared at Rainbow before she answered, “The Great and Powerful Trixie has standards and the magic shows of Las Magus require compromises no woman should make.” Trixie informed. “There’s a reason why the phrase ‘Greed is Las Magus’ second favorite vice’ exists.” she pointed out.

“It’s true, Ah’d rather help the FlimFlam brothers than set foot in the wretched hive of scum and villainy.” Applejack compounded.

“You know, morality and legality aren’t the same things,” Twilight pointed out.

Before anyone else could speak, “Ahem, as the Great and Powerful Trixie was saying before she was so rudely interrupted, she found no place that appreciated her talents. And while the rock farm she was employed under was extraordinarily profitable for Trixie,” Trixie giggled a little, “She needed to show the world what she has to offer.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow, “So yah saying yah had trouble making a living from yahr show.”

Trixie growled far from happy about what the paladin said, “She doesn’t need to make a living; she has more funds than she knows what to do with. There was this one gig where she was paid to make a chimpanzee with a lame foot look like a satyr, make a snake appear as Jörmungandr, a toothless lion like a manticore, a tiny spider look like a monstrous take on Arachne and a plain white mare like a unicorn. It didn’t last that long.” Trixie informed but then grunted, “But, yes,” Trixie rolled her eyes in the confession, “Anyway, the Great and Powerful Trixie traversed through blistering cold and scorching desert for many days and nights, risking life and limb, until she arrived at Midnight Castle. The local residents were in awe of Trixie’s prowess. Even the simplest of illusions captured their attention.”

“That’s mostly because innate magic was only recently discovered here.” Sunset elaborated matter-of-factly.

Trixie glared at Sunset, “Regardless, the Great and Powerful Trixie has managed to receive the recognition she deserves here. And with the help of her assistants, Lavender Lace and Fuchsia Blush” Trixie gestured to the two women, who nodded upon their respective introduction. “She’ll claim victory in the battle of the bands.”

“Fat chance.” Rainbow chimed in. “I got an actual band and we’re going to wipe the floor with you.”

Trixie huffed in dismissal, “And what did you call yourselves, Sparkle and the Rainbooms.”

“Just the Rainbooms, actually,” Fluttershy spoke up.

“Well, The Great and Powerful Trixie and the Illusionists look forward to seeing you go boom. Ciao, Rainbow.” Trixie then threw a smoke bomb and she, Lavender and Fuchsia were all gone, when it cleared.

“SHE’S GONE!” Pinkie shouted only to turn to her left and look down the path, “Nope, there she is.” Pinkie pointed to Trixie failing to climb a wall while Lavender and Fuchsia both groaned as they had to pull her up and over the wall.

While Applejack, Rainbow, and Rarity had a few laughs at Trixie botched escape, Twilight sighed as she hung her head, “First Flash, then the Shadowbolts, then any shot of getting the garrison to help, and now we have Trixie to contend with, and that’s not even addressing the sirens. This can’t get any worse.”

Sunset placed her hand on Twilight’s shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. “I’d hold off on the doom and gloom. Flash might be able to convince the garrison band to turn around in the morning, and maybe after some sleep, the Shadowbolts will also come around.” Twilight looked up to Sunset, she was not fully convinced, but it was something she needed to hear. Sunset then looked out the window. “But right now, let's get you girls somewhere to stay for the night, while Cinch is still a stickler, she’s still bound by the laws of hospitality.” Sunset then led the way.

Hours later and with everyone starting to clear out of the garrison’s bar, Flash walked out and into the hallway. He wanted to get his bandmates to reconsider, but he wasn’t sure how to go about it. He took a deep breath and started to think. He was lost in thought when he heard a woman’s voice, “Poor unfortunate soul.” followed by a series of ‘tutt, tutt, tutt’. He raised his head and saw the Dazzlings. “It must suck to know your girl’s friends will undermine you.” It was Adagio who was speaking, her voice hinted to being sympathy and concern, but there was a subtle jab in, even as she walked up to him, acting like she cared, with Aria and Sonata a few steps back with their heads down, eyes closed and small frowns on their face.

Flash took a step back, “I don’t believe we’ve met.” he said as he looked over the three, not trusting any of them.

Adagio smirked and her demeanor changed to one much more confident and, well, self-serving as place her hand on his shoulder, “But by now you have heard of us, I’m Adagio.” she said as she placed her hand on her chest, she then stepped to the side and pointed to Aria and Sonata, “The grump is Aria and the airhead is Sonata.” she introduced her sisters. Flash expected them to protest, instead, the two walked up towards him. “You have quite the voice, able to make a demigod lose all control.” Adagio leaned in a whispered. She then panted into his ear twice, “I feel ablaze just thinking about it.” she panted twice more. Flash rapidly took step back and reached for his sword only to see that the sword, scabbard, and belt were off him and in Sonata’s hands.

“This is actually a pretty small sword, Dagi,” Sonata said as she looked at it.

“Clearly he’s not compensating for anything,” Aria smirked as she commented on the sword as she took the blade out of the scabbard and put it back in. “This is definitely a demon-slayer.” Sonata then tossed the sword back to Flash, “I bet the real thing is a god-layer.” The three then smirked as their eyes drifted to below Flash’s belt as he strapped his sword belt back on.

“Excuse me?” Flash asked he stumbled back a step. “Now, ladies, I am not interested in what you’re offering.”

Adagio leaned against the wall and looked at her nails, “Of course you’re not.” Adagio said, “We’ve been around this block before, you’re one of those few good men out there.” She complimented Flash, but Flash could not shake the feeling that she also slapped him across the face with the back of her left hand at the same time. Flash turned around and started to walk away, “But the little princess might not be able to handle a dragon, like yours.” Adagio mocked.

Flash stopped right where he was. He was not going to let this… harlot continue her mockery of Twilight. He turned around to face them “You presume too much.” Flash stated bluntly.

Sonata suddenly materialized on his left and began to pinch both of his cheeks. “Aww, Dagi, he's so stinkin’ cute,” she said. She stopped pinching him, dematerialized and rematerialized next to Adagio. “Can we keep him?” she asked, making puppy eyes at her sister. “Please.”

“I'm not a dog,” Flash protested, rubbing his cheeks.

The three all had a chuckle, which prompted him to glare at them. Adagio stopped first as she walked up to him and leaned into his face as sniffed him. She smirked as she leaned back, “Well you know your way around, I’ll give you that.” She then placed her hand on his belt and tugged at it once before she let go, “but it seems you never got the chance to pull the trigger.”

Flash glared and scowled at Adagio, “That was my choice.”

“Oh, he's so noble and sweet,” Sonata gushed. “I just wanna put him in a little box and suffocate him and then eat his remains for dessert.” Sonata continued blissfully. Flash's jaw dropped. There were no appropriate words for how weird and frightening that statement was. Judging by the look on her sisters’ faces, they felt the same way.

Adagio recovered first. “Anyway, back to our original topic,” she said. “You really are a gentleman.” She laughed a few times as Aria and Sonata snickered. Adagio then stopped, “But there’s one massive problem with you.”

Flash raised an eyebrow, “And what pray tell is that?”

Adagio closed her eyes and shook her head, “You’re in the wrong place, thinking about the wrong question.” Before Flash could ask to have Adagio clarify, Adagio opened her eyes again, “The rainbow-haired bimbo lost some very critical potential allies for your precious little princess and her little ‘counterspell’, Adagio used her finger to make quote marks as she said ‘counterspell’ before she placed her hand on her hips. “And with her friends at each other’s throats, what she needs now is for someone to hold her and let her know that it’s all going to work out. That her ‘plan’ will come together.” Adagio elaborated.

“In short, dummy, she needs you to be a lover, not a warrior,” Aria summed up as she and Sonata joined Adagio.

Flash then reached for his sword, “I could kill you three, right here, right now.”

“But you’re not,” Adagio said as she walked to Flash and moved his hand from the hilt of his blade and entwined her fingers with his. “You’re going to trust your little princess’ plan and when it fails…” she then kissed him on the lips. Flash froze in horror, not only that she would do it, but that he wasn’t fighting back. After a second she broke it, “Well, let’s just say, the door’s open.” Adagio smirked as she took a step back as Flash wiped his lips and tried to spit the taste of her lips off. She gave a laugh before she spoke again. “Of course, you could also try to assure her, but if you’re not fast enough, she’ll find comfort in some else’s arms.”

Flash glared and growled, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“She’s alone and scared and her friends are close to killing each other, she needs to know she’s safe, and if you’re not going to do it, someone else might give her the lies she wants to hear,” Aria explained.

Flash remained resolute, “She wouldn’t do that, there’s no other guy here she trusts.” Flash pointed out.

“Who said it was going to be a guy?” Sonata asked as if she was confused. “I mean that Sunset Shimmer seems to understand her in a way you don’t right now.” She continued to point out.

Flash didn’t say a word, he just turned around and walked away. Not noticing that Adagio’s focus gem had been glowing the entire time, but the Sirens saw that his irises were not blue, but the same shade of orange as Adagio’s focus gem. “Things are going better than I could ever have planned.” Adagio chuckled.

A few hours later, after the Rainbooms were more or less settled in their rooms, as the night wore on Sunset could not find sleep. She elected to get up and see how Twilight was faring. She arrived at the chambers Twilight was staying in and noticed the door was unlocked and slightly open. “No. That's not gonna work.” she heard Twilight say as she opened the door to see Twilight at a desk with parchment and quill, and a large pile of used parchment.

“You're up late,” Sunset commented as she leaned on the doorway, while her stance was much like how she once spoke down to Twilight when Twilight was coronated, her tone was softer, less harsh, in fact, she sounded like she was the vulnerable one of the two.

Twilight looked away from her work, or more accurately the lack thereof. “Just looking over the counter-spell. We only get one shot at this. It has to be perfect.”

“You know you don’t have to try to make a song on the spot, you can incorporate the spell as part of a song already written.” Sunset pointed out as she walked over and looked at and through all the discarded parchment. She then stacked them to be recycled, “But still,” her tone dropped and she looked away, ashamed of herself as she looked out the window in the chambers, “it must be nice to have everyone always looking to you for answers to their problems…” She turned to look back at Twilight then to the floor, “instead of waiting for you to cause a problem.”

Twilight’s focus was on what she was writing on, “Just because everyone expects something from you doesn't mean it's guaranteed to happen.” she sighed as she put the quill down.

“Well, that doesn't stop them from expecting it.” Sunset pointed out more so about herself than for Twilight, but it was true for both of them.

Twilight continued, “Which only makes things harder because the last thing you want to do is…”

The two both spoke at the same time, “...let everybody down.” The two stopped and looked at each other and each gave a small smile that hinted to their mutual understanding of each other, at least for the moment. From Twilight’s eyes, the starlight and moonlight seemed to contrast with Sunset’s hair, giving her surprising argent glow. From Sunset’s the orange light of the candle, seemed to reflect off of Twilight, giving her a dawn-like glow. For a brief moment, the two’s hearts raced slightly. The two then looked away from each other, each with a slight blush.

Sunset then looked out the window, and coughed a little, “I’d better get some sleep. Good luck with the counter-spell. Not that you'll need it.” As Sunset was about to leave she turned back to Twilight, “This must be nothing compared with the stuff you're expected to deal with as a princess.”

Twilight smiled as she knew that Sunset was trying to comfort her, but as Sunset was about to step out, she called out, “Sunset?” as if she wanted to say something else. Sunset stopped and turned back. Twilight hesitated and then sighed, “...Never mind. It's not important.” Sunset nodded and left. After Sunset was gone, Twilight looked at the parchment she was writing on, she got up and shut the door, “No, I have to be able to do this.” Twilight sighed again as she went back to the desk, sighed and blew out the candle that was lit, “I have to.”

Outside Flash come to where Twilight was staying and was going to see how Twilight was doing. However, while he was a ways off he saw Sunset leave Twilight’s chambers. He was dumbstruck, Flash shook his head in utter disbelief. “Twilight,” he muttered as he looked at the ground, “she.. she .. would… no... Adagio can’t be... she just can’t…” Flash turned and went back to the barracks, a single tear shed from his right eye as the irises flashed red and the whites flashed lime-green for a second. “I’ll show them,” he muttered a twinge of rage in his voice, “I’ll show them all.” His irises were again orange.

Battle Of The Bands part 1

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The following day, in the courtyard of the castle, Cinch and Sunny sat where the acoustics of the area was the best to hear, “I am surprised you haven’t entered the contest.” Cinch said flatly as the two watched the stage was finished being erected and everyone that was starting to take their own seats.

Sunny didn’t look to face her mother, “We cannot give a reason for the perception of favoritism or a conflict of interests. That would give grounds to appeal any ruling and that will draw this out.” Sunny’s tone was just as flat as her mother’s.

Cinch then looked at the list, “Are you certain that you should be a judge, Lemon and Indigo are your half-sisters.”

“It’s not my fault your marriage contract with father allowed him to plant his seeds in any fields he desired.” Sunny countered, which cause Cinch’s jaw to drop, “Also I refuse to let Lemon and Indigo proceed unless they merit it. Unlike your favorite to win, mother-dearest.” Sunny gave a small smile as she more or less circumvented her mother’s protest.

Cinch collect herself, “Well played.” Cinch complement as the two kept their focus in front of them. Cinch couldn’t help but smile at Sunny’s progression.

Shortly the entire audience was full as Juniper stepped on stage with a clipboard and a microphone. “Welcome everyone to the Midnight Castle Battle of the Bands,” Juniper shouted in an announcement. The people cheered at that. Juniper then continued, “We have to thank the guest, The Dazzlings, for the encouragement to turn the Musical Showcase into this.” Juniper continued as she pointed towards the Dazzlings as they went backstage to with be with the rest of the contestants and was answered with a cheer. “There can only be one winner. Now, who will win? Let’s find out!”

Backstage, the Dazzlings stepped to the side and listened to murmurs of the audience “You feel that, girls? Our true power is being restored bit by bit.” Aria and Sonata both giggled in response as they felt the surge of power. Adagio turned her gaze to the Rainbooms as they were trying to set up. “And that's before we've tapped into the strongest magic here.”

“But the Rainblossoms, or whatever they're called, aren't under our spell.” Aria pointed out with a slight bit of concern, “How exactly are we supposed to get to their magic?”

Adagio shook her head as she watched the Rainbooms very tenuous state, “The Rainbooms are just as capable of falling apart as anyone else.” She pointed out. “They just need a little…” she paused as she made a ‘push’ gestured with her left hand, “push in the wrong direction.” She then turned around and had her sisters do likewise as a sinister grin grew on her face, “I have a feeling everyone here is going to be lining up to give them a shove.”

At the same time in another area backstage, Rarity was looking at rack upon rack, each with a wide away of costumes of various designs, a few of the designs were not unlike stylized military marching band, one set was made of sweaters with skirts with what looked like stylized horse ears accompany them and stylized horse tails attached to the skirts, and a score more. Applejack could only shake her head as she tuned her bass along with Rainbow, who was tuning her guitar. Twilight was looking over the song trying to figure out how the counterspell could be worked into it, while Pinkie tightened a couple of her drums. Fluttershy was looking over her own songs and sighed as her works were ignored. Sunset was with the Rainbooms, looking at all the bands there. At that time, Sunset took a moment to look around and noticed the absence of five people that she could have sworn would be there. “Hey, where are Sunny Flare and the rest of the Shadowbolts?” She asked.

Dash finished tuning her guitar and looked around for a second and then shrugged her shoulders, “I guess they were all too scared to show.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow at that as she finished tuning her bass, “Really?” she asked not sold on the notion. “Now Ah don’t live here, but from Ah gather, that doesn’t sound like any of them, especially that Indigo.”

Pinkie then started her own search she then saw Lemon with a sampler and Indigo with a guitar, “Hey, there’s Indigo and Lemon over there.” She said as she pointed out the two. “HEY, LEMON! OVER HERE!” she called out the two which prompted them to walk over to the Rainbooms.

“Hey, girls.” Lemon said as she was bobbing her head before she took off her headsets, “You all ready to rock!” she shouted as she raised her left hand into the air with her thumb, index finger and pinkie finger up.

“Heck yeah, we are.” Rainbow declared as she played a note on her guitar. She then looked around and noticed the absence of Sunny, Sour and Sugarcoat. A fact not lost on the rest of the Rainbooms. “Umm, where’s the rest of you?”

Indigo coughed as she started to sweat a little, “Yeah, we decided that we were so good that Lemon and I can handle the first round ourselves.” She looked at Lemon who nodded in agreement. “No big deal. Everyone else will be here for the finale.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow in complete disbelief in Indigo’s story, “Ah see.” she commented.

“First up is the duet Lemon -Zap!” Juniper’s voice was heard announcing the band.

Indigo looked to Applejack and then back “ We’re up first.” Indigo and Lemon then head to the stage
“Over here,” Indigo started the vocals of the song in an echo-like voice.

“In each case, and then I am small and you will not come” Lemon took over the singing. That line gave Indigo a strange sinking feeling similar to the feeling one gets at the beginning of a roller coaster ride as the car escalates. Indigo normally enjoyed that feeling but at this very moment, that feeling was giving her a sense of dread. She chose to ignore that feeling and continued.

“Over here,” Indigo sang in a more echo like voice.

“In each case, and then they’re a bit stomach
My tears are listening,” Lemon took over the vocals again.

Indigo gave her half-sister a bewildered sideways glance before continuing. “Over here” Indigo sang in a more echo like voice.

“Occasionally I am scared
This year it is going to be a good thing.” Lemon continued all the while wrapped up at the moment.

“Over here,” Indigo sang in a more echo like voice.

“You and I will get a piece of paper
You see your eyes,” Lemon sang, all the while people in the audience started to look at each other utterly at a lost of what to do or how to respond.

“Round, glowing eyes” Indigo sang in a more echo like voice. Realizing what she just sang, Indigo turned to face her sister with an expression on her face that said, “What?”

Lemon ignored her and continued to sing. “At least I ran away.”

“Round, glowing eyes” Indigo sang in a more echo like voice. As the two continued to sing, the amount of cringe that Indigo’s face and body language were communicating began to build.

“Sometimes I dissolved,” Lemon continued.

“Occasionally,” Indigo sang in a more echo like voice.

“Anyway
I found a small one
And take some wild leftovers.”

“Occasionally,” Indigo sang in a more echo like voice as her right eye started to twitch.

“Anyway
I had an uninterested servant
As a child, I speak as my arms.”

“Approx,” Indigo sang in a more echo like voice this time her left eye was twitching.

“Anyway I took a little laugh
I know, and Flow.”

“Approx,” Indigo sang in a more echo like voice, resisting the urge to gag.

“Anyway I get a little awesome
However, I see you in my eyes.”

“Extremely, sharp eyes.” Indigo sang in a more echo like voice, her voice wavering ever so slightly.

“In every case and after the fall.”

“Extremely, sharp eyes.” Indigo sang again in a more echo like voice.

“Sometimes I abandoned
And today you need it today
I really wanted more
You to honor me safely
We will live forever
And we’re just getting it ready
We can not do anything
You can remove the last sentence
Your love is always in the shade” Lemon sang as she took hold of the microphone.

"In the shade" Indigo sang in a more echo like voice.

“I do not know what to do when I was in school
We are living in a hot dog and we leaving flowers”

“What?!” Indigo broke character and nearly screamed into her microphone. She recovered and gave the audience an awkward grin. Her half-sister seemed completely oblivious to her growing distress and confusion.

“I love you very much today
You will start the night
Must start tonight.”

“I love it
But I’m getting separated” The two sang together. Indigo lifted her hand and struck the front of her face with her open palm as she was utterly flabbergasted at what she got herself into.

“It’s impossible to do anything
Tomorrow in the heart
I was a light in my life
But now there is only one man who loves darkness
You could not do anything.
Heart of darkness.”

“Extremely, sharp eyes.” Indigo sang in a more echo like voice.

“At least I ran away.”

“Extremely, sharp eyes.” Indigo sang in a more echo like voice.

“Sometimes I was demolished
And now this is part.”

“And now this is part” Indigo sang in a more echo like voice. However, the annoyance in Indigo’s voice as audible as she sang that last line.

“I really liked it very much.” Lemon continued.

“That makes one of us,” Indigo thought to herself grimly. Before she sang, “Thank you.”

“We have eternal life,” Both sang together

“We are preparing for this,” Lemon sang by herself.

“We are preparing for this,” Indigo sang in a more echo like voice.

“No can do no wrong
We can get rid of the effect of the process.
I will always love you
I don’t know what to do when I study in darkness
We live in a mixture of hot and out of flowers.
Why are we out of flowers?!” Lemon shouted enthusiastically into the mic.

“Maybe because this song is terrible, so nobody’s going to be throwing us any,” Indigo once again thought to herself as Lemon continued to sing.

"I love you very much today
You will start tonight
Must start tonight.”

“After all, I’ve been loved,” Indigo sang in a more echo like voice.

“But they will only quench it.” The two sang together with Indigo much less enthusiasm then Lemon.

“There are things I can do
In the heart of the time to come
There is a little of my life.”

“However, only a dark love,” The two sang together for the final time as Indigo shut her eyes and covered them with her hands.

“No, no
Heart Attack
Heart of Darkness
Tomorrow in the heart.” As Lemon sang her last part, Sunny hung her head in shame over the fact that she was related to Lemon. Cinch like everyone else was utterly at a loss at what had just happened.

“Extremely, sharp eyes.
“Round, glowing eyes
Come back.” Indigo sang as she and Lemon finished the song’s instrumentals. Indigo opened her eyes and saw that the entire audience was collectively stunned into deafening silence. If she had not realized she made a massive bad call at any previous point she undoubtedly did as groaned to herself.

The silence was however broken when both Pinkie and Sonata, who were the only two people who enjoyed the performance shouted at the same time, “NAILED IT!”

Indigo covered her face with her right hand as she grabbed Lemon by the arm with her left before she ran out off the stage, dragging a blissfully oblivious Lemon with her. All the while in abject humiliation. However, Lemon shouted back, “THANKS, PINKIE, YOU ROCK. WOOH!!”, very much still oblivious to how things turned out.

Backstage Applejack turned to the other Rainbooms and to the other bands, “Well, we all know who won’t be going any farther!” and everyone, save for Fluttershy, Pinkie, Sonata, Sunset, and Twilight, laughed at that joke. Pinkie and Sonata were both confused as they thought Lemon and Indigo were good, Sunset and Twilight had their focuses elsewhere while Fluttershy was too polite to laugh.

Juniper walked back on to the stage and turned to face the audience. After a couple of seconds to collect herself and process everything, “… well, that was Lemon-Zap.” she stopped for a couple of seconds. She then closed her eyes and spoke with a slightly forced cheer, “Next up is the ESM support garrison’s own rock band,” she then began to step off of the stage as the stage went dark, “The Flash Drives.” Twilight looked up from the piece of parchment she had been going over, her eyes wide. Sunset looked back at her with a look that matched her own. They could have sworn by Flash’s apologetic look that he was going to talk them out of competing. The two walked from the backstage to see the stage as what could be best described as a circus tent appeared and in a second disappeared a with the Flash Drives dressed as various circus performers with their own Rock Opera-like twist, Flash was dressed akin to a ringmaster, Mystery a sideshow fortune teller. Valhallen a beast handler, Cherry a trapeze artist, Brawly a strong man and Ringo a fire-eater.

They all started to play as all but Flash began a cross of chanting and singing the start of the song, “Whoa
Whoa
Whoa
Whoa
Whoa
Whoa
Whoa
Whoa
Whoa.”

Flash stepped forward to his mic, “Ladies and gents, this is the moment you've waited for (whoa)
“Been searching in the dark, your sweat soaking through the floor (whoa)
And buried in your bones there's an ache that you can't ignore
Taking your breath, stealing your mind
And all that was real is left behind” As Flash sang, his vocal chords started to slowly but gradually glow purple.

“Don't fight it, it's coming for you, running at ya
It's only this moment, don't care what comes after
Your fever dream, can't you see it getting closer
Just surrender 'cause you feel the feeling taking over
It's fire, it's freedom, it's flooding open
It's a preacher in the pulpit and you'll find devotion
There's something breaking at the brick of every wall it's holding I'll let you now
So tell me, do you wanna go?” Flash was joined by the rest of the band as a spectral image of swirling circus tent stripes appeared and grew before they exploded into fireworks. As the verse progressed, spectral fire burst out of Ringo’s bass and snaked throughout the courtyard.

“Where it's covered in all the colored lights
Where the runaways are running the night
Impossible comes true, it's taking over you
Oh, this is the greatest show
We light it up, we won't come down
And the sun can't stop us now
Watching it come true, it's taking over you
Oh, this is the greatest show” Everyone stopped as Flash continued to sing on his own. All the while colored circles appeared and moved not unlike they were juggled. As the verse continued, spectral silhouettes of trapeze artists performed various tricks, and spectral Catherine wheel fireworks went off. As the verse ended, columns of fire burst to life all around the courtyard.

“Whoa,” everyone chanted.

“Colossal we come to these renegades in the ring” Flash sang as spectral elephants charged in and reared up on their back legs.

“Whoa,” the other five chanted.

“Where the lost get found in the crown of the circus king” Flash sang as a spectral crown wrapped around his top hat.

“Don't fight it, it's coming for you, running at ya,
It's only this moment, don't care what comes after
It's blinding outside and I think that you know
Just surrender 'cause you're calling and you wanna go” As Flash sang the ceiling of the spectral tent was replaced by a star-filled sky that spun around and around in a spiral. Where Twilight and Sunset were, the two could not help but pant, not unlike how Twilight felt the day before when she heard Flash singing, as his voice and the music from his guitar seemed to vibrate throughout both her and Sunset’s bodies.

“Where it's covered in all the colored lights
Where the runaways are running the night
Impossible comes true, intoxicating you
Oh, this is the greatest show
We light it up, we won't come down
And the sun can't stop us now
Watching it come true, it's taking over you
Oh, this is the greatest show,” As Flash sang, the other band members joined in as the sky seemed to explode into fireworks. Spectral circus horses charged forward and pranced in a circle around the audience, followed by spectral rings of fire with spectral tigers jumping through the fire rings, ending with the spectral tigers facing the audience and roaring.

“It's everything you ever want
It's everything you ever need
And it's here right in front of you
This is where you wanna be (this is where you wanna be)
It's everything you ever want
It's everything you ever need
And it's here right in front of you
This is where you wanna be
This is where you wanna be.” The rest of the band stopped singing as Flash continued, all the while the audience started to stand and seemed to be entranced by the music as many jumped in place, not unlike a proper rock concert. Backstage, everyone, even Rainbow Dash, was caught up in the song and seem to dance in place. Save Aria and Adagio who looked theirs and Sonata’s rubies and noticed a very very very fine almost utterly missable crack form in each. Aria looked at Adagio with slight panic but Adagio remained calm as she pointed that Flash’s vocal cords were glowing like when the day before, but it was shifting from purple to orange. The two looked back at the rubies and saw that the cracks had closed and they were whole again.

“Where it's covered in all the colored lights
Where the runaways are running the night
Impossible comes true, it's taking over you
Oh, this is the greatest show
We light it up, we won't come down
And the sun can't stop us now
Watching it come true, it's taking over you
This is the greatest show
When it's covered in all the colored lights
Where the runaways are running the night
Impossible comes true, it's taking over you
Oh, this is the greatest show
We light it up, we won't come down
And the walls can't stop us now
I'm watching it come true, it's taking over you
Oh, this is the greatest show.” Back on stage, the other members of Flash Drives joined Flash as more and of the spectrals manifested and began to interact with the audience.

“'Cause everything you want is right in front of you
And you see the impossible is coming true
And the walls can't stop us (now) now, yeah” The other Flash Drives stopped singing as Flash took off his top hat and threw it into the air. As he sang, a light followed it as it landed on Twilight’s head before it went back to Flash.

“This is the greatest show (oh!)
This is the greatest show (Oh!)
This is the greatest show (oh!)
This is the greatest show (oh!)
This is the greatest show (Oh!)
This is the greatest show (oh!)
(This is the greatest show)
This is the greatest show (oh!)
This is the greatest show!” The entire audience, sans Sunny and Cinch, joined in with the band as they started to sing, while Flash remained silent as his fingertips glowed both purple and orange as he played his guitar alone. And with the last ‘oh’ the lights went out. The entire courtyard broke out into thunderous applause. An achievement not lost on Rainbow Dash as she turned deathly pale at the sight of the standing ovation.

As the Flash Drives exited the stage and Juniper stepped on stage to announce the next performers, backstage, Sunset turned her attention to Twilight and said, “You need to get over there and talk to him. Now.” Twilight nodded went after Flash. Sunset turned back to the stage and then to the rest of the bands, Flash Drives was the band to beat to confront the Dazzlings. Sunset then turned to see the Rainbooms follow Twilight. She sighed and followed them.

Elsewhere as Twilight was about to walk up to the Flash Drives, sensed her friends following her. She stopped and saw them right behind her. She welcomed the support but she looked at them and knew that she was treading on thin ice with Rainbow Dash there. She looked squarely at the elementalist. “Please, whatever you do, please don’t talk. Please.” she pleaded. Rainbow Dash groaned and rolled her eyes in reluctant agreement, while the rest of them nodded siding with Twilight that it would be best that Rainbow kept her mouth shut. Within a few seconds, they arrived to see the Flash Drives congratulating themselves on an outstanding performance. “Flash!” Twilight called as she ran towards him.

Flash turned to face Twilight as she came towards him, his face brightened as he greeted back, “Twilight!” That brightness dampened as he saw who was following her. His face darkened as he looked at the other Rainbooms and Sunset after them. “I see that you brought your so-called friends with you.”

“What’s that supposed to--?” Dash began before she felt Applejack putting a hand over her mouth. The paladin gave her a stern glare that clearly said, ‘Shut up’, which Rainbow obeyed with an eye-roll.

Last to arrive was Sunset, but as she arrived she could have sworn that she saw Flash’s eyes change color from blue to orange and then back when he had turned to look at them, but the change appeared and disappeared so quickly that she couldn’t be sure. However, Sunset was the only one to notice that, while Twilight, who was the closest to Flash seemed to have missed it. Yet Flash’s eyes was not Twilight’s main concern at that point, “What’s going on?” She asked utterly confused before she took off the top hat, “I thought you were going to talk your friends into dropping out of the competition,” she continued as she hugged the hat, not unlike a child holding a security blanket.

Flash turned his focus back to Twilight, “I was,” he started before he turned to look at his band, “but after some contemplation, I realized that they were right,” said Flash as he turned his focus back to Twilight. He then looked to the Rainbooms, more squarely at Rainbow Dash, “I’m a member of the Royal Guard, a soldier in the ESM. It’s about time I and by extension,” he then gestured to the rest of his band, “we pulled our weight around here and did our job.” He then looked straight into Twilight’s eyes. Twilight was taken aback, Flash looked like he thought he did a great thing, like a dog that killed a troublesome gopher or groundhog and was right next to the body more or less saying, ‘Look, look, he won’t ruin your garden ever again’. While not the best analogy her mind could come up with, the imagery was still spot on for her. “Besides, if we take care of the Sirens, that’s one less thing for you to worry about.” Flash continued.

“But-but” Twilight sputtered as she took a step back, “you don’t even know what the Sirens are capable of,” Twilight tried to explain as Flash took a step towards her. “They took down and ate a minotaur. What if you--?”

Before she could get another word in, Twilight found herself getting cut off by Flash as he pressed his lips against hers. Unlike the last few times that he kissed her, something felt wrong about this one. It felt more forceful, maybe even more passionate, but it was empty of the loving tenderness Flash usually had. Flash's kisses normally made her feel safe and treasured like, like the princess that she honestly still had a hard time believing she was. The kiss that he had just given her, however, terrified her instead. After a couple of seconds, Flash broke the kiss, he whispered into her ear. “I’ll take care of this. I promise you. I won’t let you down.” He then placed another kiss on her cheek as he turned to meet up with this band to prepare for their number in the next round.

Sunset and the Rainbooms watched in silence as Twilight could only stand there in stunned silence. After about three seconds, she finally recovered her voice and called after him, “But-but you don’t even know what you’re doing!” However, Flash and his band were out of earshot and didn’t hear her as such they just kept walking.

Sunset turned to the rest of the Element Bearers her confusion written all over her face, “Is Flash normally that forward?”

Applejack shook her head at first, “Only when they’re alone, but he’s never been that… um..” Applejack trailed off as she tried to find the right word to describe Flash’s action.

“Forceful.” Rarity suggested, which Applejack agreed to with a nod in silence.

Twilight turned to face her friends and was breathing heavily in a near futile attempt to overcome a panic attack, “Something’s wrong. Something’s definitely wrong” she said in between reached before Pinkie reached into one of her pockets and pulled out a paper bag and gave it to Twilight to breath into.

Rainbow looked beyond Twilight to see Flash and his band tuning their instruments, “I’ll say.” she then turned her focus back to Twilight as she was breathing into the bag, “Looks like that pretty boy finally grew a pair.” Everyone sans Twilight then glared at her in silence. “What?” Rainbow asked as she felt the temperature of the area drop ten to twenty degrees and raised her hands in an attempt to defend herself.

Twilight throw the bag to the side and started to pace back and forth, “N-no! No! That’s not it.” she sputtered at first as she tried to formulate what she believed happened. “The Flash I know wouldn’t do something like this, and he definitely wouldn’t have kissed me like that.”

Rarity shook her head, “Oh, darling, I’m sure it’s nothing serious.” she tried to comfort her friend, “Men do tend to act rather foolish when they’re in love.”

“He did seem to say that he was doing all this for yah, Sugarcube,” Applejack added.

Twilight, while she was still in the panic, shook her head, “B-but I didn’t need him to do this for me.” she informed the Rainbooms, “The only thing I needed from him was for him to be on my side, and before today, I thought I could trust him to do just that.” She then looked down to the ground as tears started to form in her eyes, “And-and what did he mean that he won’t let me down?” She looked back up to her friends, “He’s never let me down before. Did I say or do something to make him feel otherwise?” She asked and then looked in the direction Flash and his band left in, “If I did, what was it?” she stopped as she wiped her eyes dry, “I’ve got to set him straight and find answers from him.” She said and was about to run towards him but was stopped when someone took hold of her right hand.

Twilight turned to see that it was Sunset that stopped her, “You can’t worry about that now. Right now, you and the others have to focus on defeating the Sirens, and you’re up after the next act. You’ll have to deal with Flash later.” Twilight groaned and covered her face with her hands.

“Can’t blame your man for wanting to make his mark.” came Adagio’s voice. The group turned to see the Dazzlings just watching them, well Aria and Sonata, Adagio was looking at her fingernails. “Seriously to keep your species, or any truly sexually reproducing species going one male can lay with a different female every night of the year and has the chance to sire about 360 kids, the reverse is far from true.” Adagio then turned her focus to the Rainbooms looking at each and every one of them and Sunset as she spoke, “And since it’s the females that ultimately pick the males who bred…” Adagio trailed off to let the Rainbooms connect the dots she laid out.

Aria the took over after a second of silence as the Rainbooms and Sunset glared at the three, “He’s got some very pitiful odds if he doesn’t do anything.” Aria compounded the point she and Adagio were trying to make as she pointed to all the men there to perform in the Battle of The Bands.

Adagio walked to be behind and between Twilight and Sunset,“And even if he does compete, the odds are still against him,” She then started back to Aria and Sonata, “So what better way for him to prove he’s worthy of you is to take us down so you don’t have to? To make the world that much safer for you and your future children?”

Everyone froze as they thought about the implications of Adagio’s words. Sunset, however, noticed that the three were being very overt about their intent with the Rainbooms, “You know, you could try being subtle.” Sunset called the sirens out.

Sonata rolled her eyes not unlike Pinkie if the jester was bored, “But that’s sooo boring.” she complained. Her demeanor changed to have a big grin as and started to jump in place, “Being over the top is F. U. N.” Sonata spelled out much like a little child.

Rarity raised her eyebrow as she was next to recover and took a minute to think about how the Dazzlings would come to the conclusion that they did, “How would…” she started to ask.

“We can smell Bullion’s blood right here.” Adagio cut Rarity off and answered the enchantress. Adagio then pointed to Rarity, “In you,” she then pointed to Twilight, “in you” she then pointed to Sunset, “, and in you,” to Sunset. Adagio sniffed the air twice, she then turned to the four other Rainbooms, “Heck you all have his blood, and it’s actually fairly strong despite the 2000 years, give or take.”

“I think the blue-haired cinnamon roll also smells like Bullion.” Sonata pointed out which earned her a groan from Aria, as Adagio facepalmed herself.

“See what I’ve had to deal with,” Adagio complained to the Rainbooms. She then collected herself, “The point is, you humans have significantly fewer bloodlines than you think you do, and it’s you females that have selected the lines that have reached this far and will continue on.” Adagio said as she looked at each of the Rainbooms and Sunset. She then focused squarely at Twilight, “Your little soldier boy, in the end, wants his line to last at least one more generation longer than it has, and with a dame like you,” Adagio smirked, “he’s likely to have a stronger line sired from him than the one that sired him.”

“You don’t know Flash!” Twilight shouted as she was about to lunge at Adagio only to be held back by her friends.

Adagio laughed as Twilight tried to break free, “Aww, you’re so cute.” Adagio then took Twilight’s chin, “You’re what? 21? And you have your first lover. It’s adorable.” Adagio than patted Twilight on her head and took a step back, “Honey, we’ve lived over a millennium and a half when Bullion was bouncing on his father’s knee.” Adagio turned to look at Sonata and prompted Twilight to look at Sonata as well, “Sonata here alone has forgotten more about men then you can imagine can be known thrice over.” The Dazzlings then started to leave, “But hey, you don’t want to listen those that have been around the block before, no skin off our noses.” After walking a few steps, the three stopped and turned back to face the Rainbooms, “Also don’t you have a number to get ready, you have a counterspell to cast after all.” Adagio smirked as she more or less confirmed that she and by extension, all three Dazzlings knew what the Rainbooms were planning, “Tata.” Adagio waved dismissively as she and Aria continued to walk.

Sonata, however, stopped and turned back to look at Twilight, “Say, if you don't want the blue-haired cinnamon roll anymore, I can take him off your hands.” Sonata then closed her eyes not like how Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom or Scootaloo would with a big child-like grin on her face, “ Dagi said I can have a pet if I behave." Sonata paused for a second, “Of course she said that Aria would be the one to judge if I behaved.”

Twilight’s eyes glowed a solid purple, “HE’S NOT A PET!!!,” Twilight roared as she charged at Sonata, only to be held back by her friends. This caused Aria and Adagio to turned back to see the sight.

“Aww,” gushed Sonata as she stepped up to Twilight and smooshed her cheeks together. “Aren't you just the cutest thing? Maybe Dagi will let me keep you too. Then, the both of you can make me lots and lots of little demigod puppies.” Sonata turned to look at her sisters, “Can I?” she pleaded as she jumped in place child-like.

Twilight could feel her jaw all but hit the ground. As did the Rainbooms and Sunset. There were no words. Simply no words for what just happened. Aria rolled her eyes while Adagio facepalmed herself again. The two then grabbed their sister and dragged her away.

“Well, that… was… um…” Applejack tried to speak, after four seconds of silence she just gave up. “We’ve got a song to prepare for.” She then turned to see that Rarity had also recovered from the statement Sonata made and was looking over her collection of racks for costumes, “Rarity, Ah appreciate you taking the time to make us costumes, but they’re not going to help us stop the Sirens.” Applejack called out Rarity as the enchantress was looking through costume after costume.
“Well, they’re not going to hinder us either,” Rarity countered as she pulled out a handful of jackets and held a couple to her chest to get an idea of how they would look on her, “so why not take the time to look good while saving the world?”
Applejack opened her mouth to counter, but then closed it again because she couldn’t find a good counter-argument. After some thought, “If it’s all the same to you, Rare. Ah feel more comfortable playing in mah normal clothes.” She looked at the costumes and then back to Rarity, “Yahr costumes aren’t exactly... the most practical, and Ah don’t want to risk tripping on stage or getting fabric caught in mah strings or, ahem, malfunctioning. Of course, Ah’m not going to stop anyone else if yall wanna get gussied up.”

Rainbow took one glance at the costumes, “Yeah, we can’t wear these.”

Rarity looked at Rainbow then the costumes then back to her utterly at a lost, “Why not?”

“They’re not cool enough,” Rainbow answered as she looked at the costumes again for a second.

Rarity then pulled out a pocket sewing kit, “I can make last minute adjustments.” She then looked at the costumes and then back to Rainbow and back, “What needs to be fixed?”

“They just need to be cooler,” Rainbow answered after one more glance at the costumes.

“Is it the color?” Rarity asked.

“The color’s fine.” Rainbow answered with a slight groan, “Just make it cooler.”

“Is it the fringe?” Rarity asked as tried to find out what Rainbow meant.

“The fringe is fine.” Rainbow replied with a slight eye roll, “It just needs to be about 20% cooler."

At that moment, “And next up is The Rainbooms!” Juniper announced.

Rarity started to get twitchy, however before she could explode on Rainbow, “Forget it, Rare.” Applejack tugged at Rarity as everyone started to head towards the stage to perform, “Yah don’t have time to figure out how to fix these outfits AND actually fix them. We’ve got to go.”

“Wait.” Rarity requested as she grabbed a tanned jacket from one of the racks. The jacket in question had metal straps hanging off of the sleeves as if they were leather straps.

After the Rainbooms got on stage and ready, Pinkie tapped her drumsticks twice as she said, “One! Two!”

As the Rainbooms started to play, they all started to sing, “We've just got the day to get ready
And there's only so much time to lose
Because tonight, yeah, we're here to party
So let's think of something fun to do
We don't know (we don't know) what's gonna happen
We just know (we just know) it's gonna feel right
All our friends are here
And it's time to ignite the lights!
Shake your tail 'cause we're here to have a party tonight
Shake your tail, shake your tail
Shake your tail 'cause we're here to have a party tonight
Shake your tail, shake your tail.” As the Rainbooms sang, it was clear that the audience was liking them more than most of the other bands, but it was not as lustrous as it could have been. Meanwhile, from above the stage members of two bands were in the catwalk. One group had fairly powerful magnets on long thin but strong black strings attached to handles used on marionette doll and lowered them to catch the metal on the sleeves of Rarity’s jacket, pulling her arms and hands up thus preventing her from playing her key-tar and move her around not unlike a marionette doll. The other group took a light and angled it to be squarely on Fluttershy. This caused the druid to freeze and be overcome with self-consciousness and fear. She tried to get out of the light but like with Rarity, the saboteurs did not let off as they angled the light to follow the timid druid.

“So what you didn't get it right the first time” Twilight sang by herself.

“Laugh it off, no one said it is a crime” Pinkie sang as she kicked the drum next to her left foot and revealed a party canon which went off causing confetti to go everywhere.

“Do your thing, you know you're an original,” Rarity sang as she tried to lean into her microphone only to be pulled towards Applejack.

“Your ideas are so funny that they're criminal” Applejack sang as she forced Rarity off of her and glared at the enchantress for enabling herself to be moved around.

“Ohhh-ahh!” the Rainbooms all sang as they tried to continue while Fluttershy ran around to stay out of the light as Twilight coughed due to almost inhaling some of the confetti that came out of the party cannon. However, the Rainbooms were able to continue their song. “We've just got the day to get ready
And there's only so much time to lose
Because tonight, yeah, we're here to party
So let's think of something fun to do
We don't know (we don't know) what's gonna happen
We just know (we just know) it's gonna feel right
All our friends are here
And it's time to ignite the lights!
Shake your tail 'cause we're here to have a party tonight
Shake your tail, shake your tail
Shake your tail 'cause we're here to have a party tonight
Shake your tail, shake your tail
Shake your tail 'cause we're here to have a party tonight
Shake your tail, shake your tail
Shake your tail 'cause we're here to have a party tonight
Shake your tail, shake your tail
Shake your tail 'cause we're here to have a party tonight!” As they sang, Fluttershy ended up hiding behind the drumset and Rarity managed to break free from the magnet’s hold, but it came at the cost of the sleeves of the jacket, which she ended up mourning as her tears caused her mascara to run. There were a few applauds for the Rainbooms, enough to justify them going to the next round, but they were not the ones likely to win.

While all the above was transpiring, Sugarcoat and Sour were standing in a spot and at an angle where they could see the sabotage that had befallen the Rainbooms. Sour turned to Sugarcoat, “Um, shouldn’t we do something about that?” she asked not sure about what to do.

“No.” Sugarcoat said almost monotonically without a second thought. Before Sour could question, “and yes, I know that having them be eliminated so early would be detrimental to defeating the Sirens.” The two then turned to see Lemon and Indigo stand next to them. Lemon with a massive grin on her face as Indigo was covering her face. “So, how did it go?” Sugarcoat asked. She knew full well how the performance of Lemon-Zap went, but she and Sour needed to hear it from the two.

“Awesome!” Lemon cheered as she bobbed her head and trusted her hands in the air with her thumbs, index fingers and pinkie finger up.

Indigo rolled her eyes and growled, “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“I thought that was so brave,” Sour said in a very sweet tone and demeanor; her tone and demeanor then turned sour “and stupid.”

“Sunny said that showing up was a bad idea.” Sugarcoat pointed.

Indigo growled, “There’s no way we could just not show up, not after the way I challenged Rainbow Dash.”

Sugarcoat looked at Indigo squarely and asked, “So you just decided to go up there and perform a song that you put through several layers of bad translation spells and then translated back into Common and hoped that no one would notice?” Indigo’s groan answered the question while Lemon’s silently nodded.

Sour then spoke up in a fairly sarcastically sweet tone, “That was so much less humiliating than not showing up” her tone and demeanor then went full on sour as she projected, “NOT!”

Indigo stepped to the side and pointed at Lemon, “The song was Lemon’s idea.” she attempted to deflect it all to Lemon.
Lemon crossed her arms and pouted, “It’s not like anyone else had any better ideas for songs.”

Indigo started to leave, “Let’s just get out of here and find another way to stop the Sirens while we still have some dignity left. Stopping them ourselves is our only chance of getting back on the baroness’s good graces.”

Sugarcoat looked down to see that Sunny was more or less stuck in the position of judge alongside Cinch. She turned back to Indigo, “Agreed.” Sour nodded as well and the two started to follow Indigo.

Lemon was the last to leave, however, she noted that they didn’t have a song, “So, which song should we poorly translate next?” she asked her half-sisters/friends. The three stopped, turned around and glared at her. “Okay, okay, none it is then.”

Elsewhere, the Rainbooms were once again backstage and recovering from the near failure, Rarity continued to cry over her torn coat, “Ruined! Absolutely ruined!”

Applejack groaned slightly, “Ah told yah yahr costumes were impractical. Besides, whoever did this couldn't have done this if you didn't insist on dressin' like... like... this!” Applejack said as she waved her hand up and down, clearly referring to the jacket. “We need to sound good! Is there some reason that concept seems to escape you?”

“HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT WE WERE GOING TO GET SABOTAGED BY MAGNETS?!” she cried significantly harder as she fell to her knees and her mascara continued to run down her cheeks.

Applejack looked at Rarity and started to feel sorry for her, she sighed before she spoke up, “Look, you can come up with new costumes, right?” Applejack asked with a swing of sorrow for Rarity. Rarity nodded as her tears continued to make her mascara run. Applejack took a breath. “If Ah promise to wear whatever yahr new costumes are, will yah stop crying?”

Rarity’s expression started to suddenly brighten as she looked at Applejack, “Really?!”

Applejack sighed and dipped her head, “Sure. But there are a few conditions. No heels, no platforms, no glitter, no sequins, and no dangly things.”

Rarity gawked at first before she started to sputter, “But that just leaves me with just thread, fabric, and rhinestones to work with.” she pointed out to Applejack.

“Hey, take it or leave it.” Applejack was unmoved by the enchantress’ plea.

“Applejack, you, you, heartless, uncultured country bumpkin!” Rarity all but shouted at the paladin. “I’m offering to practically work my fingers to the bone to help us make a good impression, and you just stifle my artistic creativity?!”

“Well, yer ‘artistic creativity’ nearly cost us a chance to move ahead in this competition.” Applejack pointed back to the stage, while temporally pointing back to when they were on stage, “If ya ask me, Ah think Ah’m doing yah a favor.”

However, Applejack and Rarity weren’t the only ones with words to exchange, Rainbow spoke up, “Yeah, yeah, Rarity’s creativity is one thing, but what was with the confetti, Pinkie Pie?” Rainbow asked as she trying to get some confetti that was stuck under and in the strings, “how am I supposed to shred if there's paper stuck in my frets?!” She asked in a groan as she finished removing the clutter in her guitar.

“I was just trying to channel my Element,” said Pinkie in defense.

“It was pretty distracting…” Fluttershy agreed with Rainbow on the topic.

“Ugh!” Pinkie bemoaned with an eye roll, “Says the girl who was running from a light the whole time!” Pinkie called out Fluttershy for her own timidity and freak-out on stage, “A light!”

Sunset, however, stepped in, “Hey now, now, you guys still sounded much better than most of the other bands.” She turned to see one band with a musical triangle, an accordion and a saw with a bow. “I'm sure you'll make it to the next round. But it won't matter if you don't have that counter-spell ready. You all find a place to practice. I'll keep an eye on things around here and let you know if you have moved on.” Sunset said as she looked back and looked among the bands to find the Dazzlings as the Rainbooms left to find a place to compose a song for the counter-spell.

About ten minutes later as they headed to the library in the castle, “I’ve always found I’ve done my best work in a library.” Twilight suggested. She gave a nervous chuckle as the others gave her a slight glare, which more or said, ‘since you do all your work in a library, that’s not saying much.’ As Twilight walked she bumped into someone. As she fell she was pulled back up by a familiar masculine hand, normally it was warm and welcoming, however this time it felt distant and cold.

“Seriously, why are you always bumping into me,” Flash groaned as he helped Twilight to her feet in one move. “I get it, you’re shocked that I’m willing to step up and do my job, but could it kill you for once to look where you’re going?” Flash continued before he started to head off to join his band.

“Why are you acting like this?” Twilight asked as she felt that her heart was being ripped from her chest. The hurt in her voice caused him to stop and turn to face her, “I thought you… we…” Twilight trailed off unsure what to say or do. She closed her eyes and covered her face.

Flash gave a growl, “Seriously! I’m trying to stop the Sirens for you!” he pointed at her as his irises flashed orange. “You’ve saved the world over half a dozen times, let someone else take up the mantle for once! Or is your ego so big that the world must be saved by you and your friends? Not even Celestia has that much arrogance. She trusted you with the Elements of Harmony in order to save the world from Nightmare Moon and Discord.” Flash continued. He then sighed. “You trusted me to help Rainbow Dash set up and conduct the Crystal Fair, heck I fought King Sombra, and I won the trial by combat when Sunset stole your crown. I even killed the demonic minotaurs Sunset made. What makes the Sirens so different?” His voice rose and it was clear Flash’s anger was starting to boil over. He looked down to the floor and took three breaths through his flaring nostrils. However, that didn’t calm him down. His left hand then started to glow orange as he made a fist and slammed it into the wall, Flash looked right into Twilight’s eyes, his irises were a solid orange, “WHY ARE YOU HOLDING ME BACK?!”

Twilight took a couple steps back, she never felt so much fear for her life since Nightmare Moon was suffocating her in her own shield bubble, but this was different, Nightmare Moon was her foe, her enemy from the start, but Flash wasn’t. He was the only one she felt secure enough with for what was her most vulnerable moment. Yet here he was, able to make a sizable dent in the stone wall without any signs of damage and his anger was geared towards her, “Flash, please… that’s not…” she pleaded as tears started to pool in the corners of her eyes, “Flash, I…” she struggled to find the words.

Flash rolled his eyes and groaned, “For crying out loud, tears aren’t going to stop the sirens. Action will. The Flash Drives are the band to beat. So do us all a favor, and get out of the way.”

“Flash, you don’t…” Twilight tried to speak as she held back the tears. “That's not why—”

Applejack then placed her arm around Twilight’s shoulder and pulled her away, “Come on, Sugarcube. We've got things to do.” The Rainbooms glared at Flash as they left. Flash took a couple more breaths through his nostrils and placed his right hand on the punched the wall. It was only then that his irises returned to their normal blue.

Flash looked from the dent towards his other hand, which was still clenched in a fist, in total bewilderment. A terrifying chill crawled down his back as he did. “Did I just--?” he thought to himself. However, before he could finish that thought, a wave of pain pulsed through his head causing him to squeeze his eyes shut. When the pain subsided, he opened his eyes, revealing orange irises yet again.

As Twilight was pulled away by Applejack and wiped the tears forming in her eyes, the entire scene was witnessed by the sirens. Adagio chuckled, “Tears already?” she asked Aria and Sonata mockingly and rhetorically. “This is only the first round. I can’t wait to see how the little princess fairs when the semi-finals roll in.” The three then laughed at Twilight’s expense.

They then heard Juniper announce from the stage, “The next band to take the stage will be Trixie and the Illusionists.”
Adagio looked to her sisters, “We better head back. We're up after Trixie and her holograms.” The two nodded as they walked back to the backstage of the stage set up in the courtyard.

As the three entered a hallway that led the way to the backstage, when the lights went out, “You're never gonna get away with this.” Sunset said as she lit the torch closest to her with her pyromancy, and her focus gem glowed.

This caused Aria and Sonata to shake in slight fright, but Adagio waved her hand and put out the torch Sunset had and made her (Adagio) own focus gem to glow. Adagio then laughed, “Why? Because you didn't?” She asked as she stepped forward. This caused Sunset to waver slightly, “Oh, we know all about you, and your…” Adagio paused for a second and grinned, “reputation, Sunset Shimmer.” As Adagio spoke she stepped forward and started to circle around Sunset, as well as Aria and Sonata.

Sunset raised an eyebrow, as she noticed that the Sirens were now circling her, like orca on a seal trapped on a floating piece of ice. Sunset, however, was not going down without a fight, “I've changed!” she asserted, “I'm in a much better place now!”

“Waiting in the wings while your friends have all the fun?” Aria asked, her words cutting not as deep as Adagio, but still, Sunset lacked the defense for them.

“Oh, yes, you girls are so tight.” Adagio added, not letting up on the assault, she knew that if Sunset was trapped in her own self-pity over her own anxiety she couldn’t hold the Rainbooms together, “And yet…” Adagio paused for what Sunset could not help but conclude to be dramatic tension as she (Adagio) took Sunset’s chin, not unlike how she (Adagio) had taken Sunny and Twilight’s, “they didn't ask you to be in the band.” Adagio then released her hold and gave Sunset a push to Sunset’s left.

“Probably afraid no one would want to see them play if she was in the group.” Aria guessed as she caught and then pushed Sunset from her (Aria).

Sonata, however, allowed Sunset to fall to the floor. As Sunset crawled to her knees, Sonata patted her (Sunset) on the head, “Too bad! So sad!” the youngest siren mocked as she caught up with Adagio and Aria.

Before the three left the shaken Sunset, “If it's any consolation, no one is going to remember you at all by the time we're done.” Adagio said before she walked back to Sunset and noticed the tears forming in the corners of her eyes. Adagio smirked and rejoined her sisters as they laughed at Sunset.

A couple minutes later, “Next up, The Dazzlings!” Juniper announced.

Adagio looked at her sisters, “Remember, we want to save the good stuff for when our full power has been restored.” She told reminded them as their rubies glowed and collected all the tension that had accumulated since the battle started. The three each took a breath before they walked onto the stage.

“Oh-whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh
You didn't know that you fell
Oh-whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh,” The Dazzlings sang together as the strutted on the stage, not only as if they owned the stage, but also the courtyard, the castle, even the whole world. Their hips and arms swayed to the beat of their song.

“Now that you're under our spell
Blindsided by the beat
Clapping your hands, stomping your feet
You didn't know that you fell.” Adagio sang by herself as she stepped forward from the two.

“Oh-whoa-oh-oh-oh.” Sonata and Aria sang together.

“Now you've fallen under our spell.” Adagio sang by herself as she reached out with her left hand, as the audience seemed to be drawn to her and her sisters like moths to an open flame.

“Oh-whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh.” Sonata and Aria sang together.

“Listen to the sound of my voice.” Adagio sang by herself, as her ruby and her focus gem both started to glow as she placed her left hand on her throat, or rather her vocal cords.

“Oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh.” Sonata and Aria sang together as their rubies and Sonata’s ethereal wings also glowed as they two placed their left hands on their vocal cords.

“Soon you'll find you don't have a choice.” Adagio sang by herself as she walked to the edge of the stage and leaned down to kiss a random man in the audience on his forehead.

“Oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh,” Sonata and Aria sang together as Adagio got back up and walked along the edge of the stage before she stopped at random woman in the audience.

“Captured in the web of my song,” Adagio sang by herself, as she leaned down and kiss the woman on her lips before she got back up.

“Oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh,” Sonata and Aria sang together.

“Soon you'll all be singing along,” Adagio sang by herself as she walked with her back to the audience and turned to be with her sisters.

“Oh, whoa, oh,” Sonata and Aria sang together as Adagio reformed the line that the three formed.

“We've got the music, makes you move it
Got the song that makes you lose it
We say "jump", you say "how high?"
Put your hands up to the sky
We've got the music, makes you move it
Got the song that makes you lose it
We say "jump", you say "how high?"
Put your hands up to the sky
Oh-whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh
You didn't know that you fell
Oh-whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh
Now that you're under our spell
Oh-whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh
You didn't know that you fell
Oh-whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh
Now that you're under our,” Adagio rejoined her sisters as the three sang the last main verse. As they sang the area was full of lime green mist and the scene changed to various arguments and near brawls that formed among the audience and the bands about the results thus far. With only the Flash Drives, Trixie and the Illusionists, The Rainbooms and the Dazzlings making it to the semi-finals. As shown with a board with The Dazzlings’ logo of a G-Clief, a ‘forte’ symbol, a jagged eighth note, several rubies over pink hearts, The Flash Drives’ logo of a large heater shield with a speaker in the center with two yellow lightning bolts flanking the speaker all under a let of stage lights, the Rainboom’s logo of a horseshoe leaving a starry rainbow-streak and Trixie and The Illusionists’ logo of a yellow crescent moon in front of a blue five point stars surrounded by several smaller yellow and blue stars.

“Spell,” Adagio said by herself as the song ended and finished with a maniacal laughter as the whole area went black.

Battle Of The Bands part 2

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Juniper stepped on the stage with the board that had the band logos, she took a red marker and crossed out the logo for the Flash Drives and moved the logo for the Dazzlings to be on of the two bands for the finals, on the other side of the board were the logos for the Rainbooms and Trixie and the Illusionists. Juniper then turned to face the audience, “And the first of the two finalists are the Dazzlings. It was a hard fight, but the Flash Drives were in the wrong division to get to the finals,” Juniper paused as she consulted her notepad, “We will now have a half hour intermission before Trixie and the Illusionists make their case to be in the finals followed by the Rainbooms.” Juniper then exited the stage.

Backstage, as the Flash Drives had left for the barracks, Flash was about to bring his guitar down on the stone floor, but it was taken from him in his swing by Valhallen and Brawly. “Easy, bro.” Brawly said, “And people thought I was bad, with the whole ‘Brawler’ fiasco.” he joked. The rest of the Flash Drives turned to face him and gave him slightly annoyed bemused expression, “Too soon?”

“How could we lose?!” Flash all but roared as he kicked a lone stone.

“Yeah, the crowd was eating out of our hands,” Valhallen added. Everyone else then gave him the same bemused expression as they gave Brawly, “Well, they were, I mean were the band to …” as he noticed that the expressions were unmoved, “Not helping my case?” he asked and everyone nodded in response, save Mystery who was in thought.

“What I don’t get,” Mystery started, “why didn’t our song affect the Sirens?” she asked. “Seriously. I think pretty much everyone was moved.”

Cherry chuckled, “I can’t speak about everyone,” She turned her focus towards Flash, “but I think Sentry got not only the princess,” she paused with a smirk, “ but the parolee also seemed to have a dance in her pants. Way to go, tiger.” she said as she tabbed Flash on his shoulder.

Flash pulled away, “It doesn’t matter, Twilight now has to deal with the sirens alone.” Flash growled as he kicked the wall.

Cherry took a step back a concerned frown on her face, concern that was matched by the rest of the band. She coughed to clear her throat as she elected to change the topic. “Well, in other news,” she said as she turned to the band, “who wants to bet that the benchwarmer isn’t going to rub the fact that we lost all over our faces the first chance that she gets?” she asked.

Ringo strung a few notes on his base, “That’s a losing bet if I’ve ever seen one.”

Flash turned back to his bandmates, “I’m not letting the battle end like this.” Flash’s voice had a lot of resolve in it. “If we can’t show them on stage, let’s take care of those three in a more traditional manner for dealing with monsters.” As he spoke he lowered his head and raised his hand in a wave, not unlike someone encouraging others to answer a question.

The bandmates looked at each other and gave a few nervous glances, “Are you suggesting what I think you are suggesting?” Mystery asked on her part and the rest of the band. Flash nodded with a grin as resolute as iron. Mystery then looked at the band and the grins starting to form on their faces told her they were willing to hear Flash out. She then looked back to Flash, “And how are we going to do that?”

Flash thought for a second then gasped as he believed he had a solution, “The finals aren’t until tomorrow night, it’s what ten hours after midday?” he asked and the other responded with nervous and silent nods. Flash’s lips then started to form a fairly large grin. “We challenge them to a fight over by the cliffs.”

“Then, we slit their throats and yank out their vocal chords?” Brawly elected to voice his, and likely the rest of the band’s thoughts aloud. Flash gave a nod. Brawly looked to the rest, “I don’t know, brother, that sounds really, really dangerous.” After two seconds of silence, he made his left hand into a fist and punched his right hand with it. “LET’S DO IT!” Brawly declared as he walked up to and took Flash’s right hand with his own. The two bent their arms so that they could reach each other’s back with their left hand, in a brotherly hug.

The other four looked at each other. Ringo shrugged his shoulders as he walked up to Flash and Brawly, and fist-bumped both, “Well, I’ve gone this far with this plan, I’m in until the end.”

Valhallen gave a laugh as he too walked forward, “Before the week is done, I’ll be drinking mead from their skulls or in my namesake.” He gave Flash a playful punch in the chest.

Cherry then proceeded to join her brothers-in-arms without saying a word. However, Mystery took her hand before she got half-way. “Wait,” Mystery requested. “We don’t know what those Sirens are capable of, aside from taking down a minotaur.” This statement didn’t cause any of the others to waiver in their resolve as Cherry pulled her hand out of Mystery’s hold. Mystery then tried a different approach, “Also, we’ve never trained for or fought against anything like them.” No one was convinced to change course. “Going after them could be a total suicide mission.” She tried again.

Cherry rolled her eyes as she walked back to Mystery and placed her arm on Mystery’s shoulder, “So, you’re just going to let that benchwarmer keep making laughingstocks out of us?” That was all that was needed to be said. Mystery’s flashed with resolve as the two joined up with the others.

Before they could go any farther, they were stopped by the voice of Sunset, “She loves you, you meathead, and I know you love her, too.” She called Flash out. The band turned to see Sunset walking towards them. The band stepped to the side to let her pass as she continued, “Everyone can see it. So why are you getting in her way? More importantly, why are you being so cruel to her?”

Flash looked his band, “You guys go on, I’ll catch up.” They nodded and left the area, leaving the hallway empty of all but Flash and Sunset. Flash looked squarely at Sunset, “Getting in her way?” Flash asked not believing Sunset, “Did you not see how the bands were arranged, my band was more likely to go against the Dazzlings.” Flash pointed out as he called back to the bracketing of the bands. Sunset raised her hand to protest, but she realized that she didn’t have a counter-argument as the Rainbooms wouldn’t face the Dazzlings or cast the counter spell unless they got to the finals. “My point exactly,” Flash said as he continued. “And how am I cruel to her? I’m trying to HELP her by taking care of the Dazzlings so she doesn’t have too. And given all the problems the other girls are giving her, and since there is nothing I can do concerning them, so I decided to do something about the only problem I can do something about.” Flash took a breath and looked to the sky, like he was looking for a star that was no longer in the sky and continued, “I am doing this is because I love her, I HAVE to do what I can to fix this for her.” He paused again as he looked Sunset squarely in the eye, “If you have to ask how either of us feel, you should be asking her.” Flash then started to turn.

However, a ball of fire thrown to the wall in front of him caused Flash to stop. He turned to see Sunset walk up to him with a fire of red and yellow in her left hand. She then slapped him with the palm of her left hand, as the fire vanished, but the echo of the slap was unmistakable. As Flash rubbed his check, “She doesn’t need you to fix her problems FOR her.” Sunset scolded before she closed her eyes and sighed. “ she needs you to SUPPORT her through them. You’ve always done that for her,” Sunset paused as she looked at the ground, “You were that way for me.” she said in a near whisper.

Flash sighed as he too looked at the ground, “I remember.” Flash then raised his head, “But you never let yourself ever get to be in such a state. You could solve your problems with a snap. In fact, I don’t think you ever shared your problems with me.”

Sunset gave a nervous laugh, “Well, I viewed you as little more than a means to a few ends. Sadly, only half of them were met.”

Flash then had a hearty chuckle, “Oh, Princess Celestia knew about us and why you wanted to be with me. In fact, she ordered me to go as far as we did if I wanted to.”

“Didn’t she care? I mean, you were her sentinel.” Sunset pointed out.

Flash shrugged his shoulders, “She wanted you to be happy, secure, you are her daughter after all. She also thought that maybe I could be a positive influence.”

“Well, at least I wasn’t a negative influence on you.” The two shared a short laugh before they fell quiet. After a few seconds of silence, before it reached a point of awkward silence, Sunset spoke again, “We were doomed to fail, weren’t we?”

“Had you been the one to break it off, I’d would have to have agreed,” Flash said after almost no time of thought. As if he had been waiting for this moment and was ready to have this talk. “But I was the one who ended it,” Flash reminded Sunset which got a nervous laugh from her. Before she could reply any more, Flash raised his hand as a single for her to stop and listen as he continued, “And I did it because I thought that maybe, if we could be apart and well you had a chance to self-reflect, maybe we could have tried again.”

“We could, but we both know Twilight is one your heart calls for and I’m okay with that, after putting up with a bitch like me, I’d say you should be with a princess. And speaking of which, Twilight just needs your support back.”

Flash shook his head with closed eyes, “No, she doesn’t.” his tone heavy and dejected. He then raised his head to look at Sunset, a shadow of defeat in his eyes, “Why would she need me when she’s got you for that?”

Sunset took a step back as she partially squinted her left eye before she shook her head in an attempt to collect herself, “Me?”

“I saw you leave her room late last night,” Flash answered as a slight frown formed on his lips. However, it faded into a legitimate, if slightly sad smile. Sunset, on the other hand, was utterly shocked at that statement. Before she could reply, Flash raised his hand, “Just to be clear, I don’t care if Twilight wants a relationship with you over me or one with both of us or one with me and one with you. I just want a heads up if you both are together and don’t want me there.”

Sunset was utterly flabbergasted at what Flash said and the implications. After a couple of seconds, she groaned, “Good grief!” She shook her head, before she continued, “We were just having some girl talk. Nothing happened between us.” Sunset then paused as for a second her mind flashed an image of Twilight surrounded by the candle’s orange glows, how it seemed to slip ever so slightly through her purple hair like it was sunlight caught within it. Sunset coughed as she blushed slightly, “I mean, yes, I found her attractive, but I wouldn’t dream of getting between the two of you. Why would you even think…?” Sunset trialed as she saw Flash’s irises flash a clear orange, a shade of it that matched Adagio’s focus gem. It was a blink and miss it, but Sunset didn’t blink. She knew something was off. She grabbed Flash’s face.

“Hey, didn’t you just say you would dream of getting between Twilight and me?” Flash asked as he tried to take a step back but Sunset only pulled his face closer to her, so that the tips of their noses touched. Sunset was squinting her eyes as she seemed to be looking only into Flash’s eyes. “Okay, seriously, what are you…?” Flash tried to ask only for Sunset to clamp her left hand over his mouth and continued to focus solely on his eyes. After a second, Flash’s pupils constricted as his irises changed from their normal blue to the shade of orange she saw them flash, this time the eyes didn’t change back. Sunset could only gasp at the sight.

Flash yanked himself out of Sunset’s hold. He looked at her with a scowl forming, “I have to take care of the sirens.” He declared, his voice so frigid, that Sunset thought for a second the area had reached absolute zero. “Please, don’t touch me like that again.” Flash’s request while with polite words, still cut Sunset with the same bitter cold.

Flash turned to leave Sunset and meet up with his band. However, as he looked in front of him, Sunset had teleported herself through a ring of fire and had conjured a firewall behind her. “Don’t do this.” Sunset requested as she tried to block Flash.

Flash closed his eyes and took a breath, “Please, get out of my way.” he requested as he tried to remain calm.

“You’re not yourself,” Sunset said with a tear forming in the corner of her right eye. “What you’re planning will only end badly for you.” Sunset attempted to reason with Flash, as she thought back to their mutual past, those very words spoken from his lips. The irony was not lost on her.

“I said get out of my way,” he said with his voice getting louder, as his sclera flashed orange.

“Adagio did something to you!” Sunset all but shouted as her hands started to glow with red and yellow fire. “If you don’t fight whatever it is she did, you’ll be playing right into her hands.” In a moment of panic, she placed her hands on Flash’s chest, as if she was trying to burn away the spell that Adagio hexed Flash with. Flash growled, not unlike an injured lion and stepped back, holding his chest and gritting his teeth in pain. Sunset dismissed the firewall and lowered her guard, believing she broke the spell.

However, that moment of joy ended as Flash stood erect and posed to move forward. His eyes had changed again, this time the sclera changed from their normal white to lime-green and the irises took on a blood red hue as the pupils become slits, not unlike a cat’s eye, similar to the eyes of Sombra. Flash huffed and inhaled through his flaring nostrils before he all but roared, “GET OUT OF MY WAY!” and shoved Sunset to the floor out of his way with more force than what was needed.

Sunset hit the floor hard and groaned, “Ow.”

In that instant, the star on Flash’s sword's pummel flashed for a brief second and Flash felt his head starting to hurt. He called out with an ‘Agh!’ and held his head. The pain so much that he couldn’t even open his eyes, lest he lost any focus because he couldn’t see straight. “Make it stop.” he whimpered, “Make it stop,”. All the while Sunset watched on as she got to her feet, a noticeable bruise and, while superficial, a visible scrape on her arm and leg. She witnessed Flash dropped to his knees before he let out another ‘AGH!’. And with that, the pain subsided. Flash opened his eyes and around him in confusion, as if the last ten minutes never happened and yet here he was. As he looked around, Sunset saw that his eyes were their normal blue again. Flash stopped searching for whatever clue to what happened he might have gotten when he spotted the bruise and scrapes. Slowly he got back to his feet, “Sunset, are you alright?” he asked.

“Listen, it’s been nice to catch up, but I got to go,” Sunset said nervously as she started walking backward away from the perplexed Flash. After a few steps, she turned around and started to run, leaving Flash utterly at a loss about what had just happened.

Well, not totally. Flash looked at where Sunset was standing before she left and saw a very fine layer of skin, her skin, on the floor as if she was shoved towards the floor and away from someone. Flash then looked around and saw no signs of anyone but Sunset and him there. He then looked at his hands as a terror started to cause the hairs on his arms to stand, a terror that he… “What have I done?” he asked in a frightened whisper. But he knew the answer and the horror of that truth sent a chill down his spine.

“Hey, Sentry!” came the voice of Valhallen, “You coming or what?”

Flash turned his head to reply, “Yeah. Hold up. I’m coming.” Flash then turned to meet up with his band, his eyes flashed purple. He knew he would have to make amends for what he did to Sunset and to Twilight. But first, he was going to make Adagio pay for the hex she placed on him. One way or another, she was going to foot the bill.

Sunset, arrived back in the courtyard, backstage as the intermission was drawing to a close and the audience was starting to trickle back to their seat. She, however, was physically healed of her wounds, ‘Phoenix Fire’ can be quite the spell. She had arrived before the Rainbooms and Trixie’s band. She sat down on one of the backstage chairs and took a breath as she thought back to what she had witnessed and experienced. Adagio had cast some sort of spell on him, but it wasn’t as if she was controlling him, nor was it tearing down his inhibitions. No, it was as if Adagio’s spell on Flash did a little of both and added a dash of amplifying his darker aspects. Sunset was torn about what to do. On one hand, she knew that she had to tell Twilight about Flash. Twilight needed to know, this was Flash after all and Twilight cared about him. Yet on the hand, if Twilight knew, this would likely cause her to freak out more than she would otherwise, with the brewing animosity within the Rainbooms and her attempts to form a counterspell to the Siren’s song. After a few seconds of the internal debate, she elected to keep the information to herself until after the sirens were bested, just as Trixie and her band, and the Rainbooms arrived.

As Trixie and the Illusionists went to stage and started to perform, the Rainbooms tuned and tighten their instruments for their final number of the night. Sunset knew she had to inspire some confidence in the team. “Well, it’s the last round and you’re in the finals!” she cheered. She then looked to Twilight with a reassuring smile on her face, “Unless you think the counter-spell is ready to be played now.” Twilight could only groan as she covered her face. “Too soon?” Sunset asked with a slight bit of guilt.

Applejack placed her base down and walked up to Twilight and patted Twilight on her shoulder, “Don't worry Twilight. Finals aren't until tomorrow night.” She tried to assure Twilight that not all was lost. “We'll get in a little more practice tomorrow before we're supposed to hit the stage.” Applejack then turned both herself and Twilight to face the rest of the Rainbooms, “We won't let you down!” The others all gave various signs of agreement with Applejack.

Applejack then walked away from Twilight to get her bass. Twilight looked down not sure about herself, “Yeah, you won't let me down…” she whispered.

Meanwhile, Fluttershy walked up to Rainbow as the elementalist played a few notes on her guitar. Fluttershy cleared her throat to get her oldest friend’s attention. Rainbow turned to face the druid, “Um, I was just wondering. We haven't played any of my songs yet, and…” Fluttershy started.

Rainbow shook her head, “Sorry Shy, but it's the semifinals. We gotta do ‘Awesome As I Wanna Be’.”

Fluttershy sighed and “Don't know why I even asked…” Fluttershy said to herself as she looked to the ground both angry with Rainbow and sad that yet again the songs she was actually poured her heart and soul into and felt confident to perform.

On stage Trixie’s song reached its end, and was followed by cheers from the crowd as her band walked backstage. As Fuchsia Blush and Lavender Lace went to get something to eat and drink, Trixie elected to walk over to the Rainbooms as they were preparing for their last number of the night and the last number of the show before the finals the next night. “You’re never going to top that, Rain-goons.” Trixie declared with a triumphant smirk on her face. She then looked over the group and sent a second longer on Twilight then the rest before she asked, “I don’t even know why Baroness Cinch allowed you to compete with such an obvious advantage.”

“Hey, I can’t help being awesome.” Rainbow declared as she stepped forward to challenge Trixie. “I was born this way.” She then shredded on her guitar and thrust her right hand up with her index and middle finger making a ‘V’ for victory once she finished.

Trixie rolled her eyes before she turned to face Rainbow, “Not you, dumb-dumb. A monkey with a ukulele can replace you.” Rainbow scowled through gritted teeth and gave a slight growl. Trixie then pointed straight at Twilight, “I was talking about her.” Twilight misstepped backward and almost tripped. Trixie, however, continued as she turned back to face Rainbow Dash, her arms crossed in front of her chest. “You’re band would be nothing but a freak show at a circus if you didn’t have a demigoddess in it. You wouldn’t even be fit to clean the instruments of the Flash Drives.”

Dash rolled her own eyes, “Oh please.” She waved Trixie’s critic aside, “Don’t compare my band to those posers. I’ve saved Mystica seven or eight times already,” This earned a few glares from the rest of the Rainbooms as they were part of all of those events. Rainbow, however, remained oblivious to her friends and continued. “and I’m a future Wonderbolt. I can beat you, them, and the Dazzlings all by myself in my sleep if I wanted to.”

Trixie rolled her eyes yet again with a groan, “And Great and Powerful Trixie has an ego.” She shook her head then looked at Rainbow as she pointed at the elementalist, “You clearly don’t know how talentless you are, don’t you, Rainbow Dash?” Rainbow growled in response. Trixie brushed it aside and continued, “Well, listen up because the Great and Powerful Trixie is about to lay down the greatness and powerfulness order from the bottom up. And she’s going to do it once and only once, so take notes. It goes you, Lemon-Zap, the rest of the Rainbooms, a dying cat, all the other bands that didn’t make it to the semifinals, the other Shadowbolts, the Flash Drives, the Dazzlings, the Illusionists and finally at the tippy top is The Grrreat and Powerrrful Trrrixie!”

Rainbow scowled as she was about to clench her fist, “You want those words with salt or peanut butter?”

Trixie chuckled at that remark, “You might need the salt to purify your wounded pride, and your girlfriend might have other plans involving you with the peanut butter.”

“I’M NOT GAY!!!” Rainbow shouted.

“Also why would I use peanut butter for something that doesn’t involve eating?” Pinkie asked

Rainbow turned to Pinkie and all but roared, “NOT HELPING PINKIE!!!” Rainbow then turned back to Trixie, “Listen here, blowhard, I could win this thing as a solo act and everybody knows it!”

Trixie scoffed in response, “Sure you could.” Trixie then threw a smoke bomb in front of the Rainbooms and caused them all to cough until the smoke cleared.

Once they all could breathe, Pinkie looked at where Trixie was and notice the illusionist's absence. Pinkie jumped in fright, “She's gone!” As she landed she paused as she squinted her eyes as she spotted Trixie, “Oh, wait. There she is.” Everyone then turned to see Trixie need help from to a balcony by her bandmates.

Just then Juniper walked backstage. “Hey, what is taking you all so long?” she asked rhetorically, “if you don’t get on stage soon, you’ll be disqualified.” The Rainbooms nervously laughed and headed for the stage. Juniper Next up for the last song of the semi-finale, the Rainbooms.”

“Knock 'em dead, girls!” Sunset called to them they started to set up. She then looked down at the floor as her mind replayed her run-in with the Dazzlings. “I'll be here... just... watching.”

“Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!” The Rainbooms all sang to start the song.

“Awesome as I wanna be.” Rainbow sang by herself, with a great amount of gusto.

“Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!” The Rainbooms sang, however, there was a clear lack of heart and soul not only in their lyrics but also how they played their instruments. It was if they were only going through the motions.

“Awesome as I wanna be
First, you see me riding on a sonic boom
Got my guitar shreddin' up my latest tune
There is nothin' you can do to beat me
I'm so good that you can't defeat me,” Rainbow took over and continued to be wrapped up in herself and her own ego. This was noticed by several things, the over top way she played her guitar and how she would walk up to her bandmates and give what one could assume was a playful push in the case of Twilight and Fluttershy, made the front of Applejack’s hat covered the paladin’s face, tap on Rarity’s focus gem on her tiara, and hit the symbols of Pinkie’s drum set.

“Yeah, I'm awesome, take caution
Watch out for me, I'm awesome as I wanna be
(Yeah!) I'm awesome, take caution
Watch out for me, I'm awesome as I wanna be,” The rest joined in as Rainbow Dash walked to be at the edge of the stage, not unlike Adagio did during the Dazzlings’ last number. Unlike Adagio Rainbow Dash turned to have her back to the audience and let herself fall into the audience and was held up by the audience as she rode the wave around the audience and back to the stage. The rest of the band scowled at Rainbow's self-centered action. From backstage, Sunset noticed a lime-green mist starting to form. Her eyes shot wide open in horror as she could have sworn she noticed the mist being pulled backstage but to a different section. She turned her head to follow the mist and saw the Sirens with their rubies faintly glowing as the mist began to slowly drift in their direction.

“Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!” The Rainbooms sang without Rainbow Dash, with the same lack of heart and soul as before as Rainbow got back on stage. In a panic to disrupt the formation of the mist Sunset, after a running start jumped on stage from stage left and tackled Rainbow Dash, causing some of the instruments to clatter in the process. In the shock of the act, the rest of the song ended abruptly with Fluttershy giving a squeal as she hid behind Applejack.

There were laughs and jeers at what just happened on the stage as Sunset and Rainbow got back up, “The real Sunset Shimmer is back!” One of the audience shouted with a clear intent to heckle.

Sunset looked out that audience, “No. It isn't like that,” she tried to explain before she was pulled off stage as the Rainbooms exited to the backstage. Once there she saw Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie scowled at her while Rainbow glare at her. Twilight, however, was starting to freak out, while Fluttershy patted her on her shoulder.

“What was that?!” Rainbow shouted as she raised her arms up so that her hands here parallel to her ears as she tried to process why Sunset did what she did.

“There was this green mist that was forming among you guys. The kind that Bullion described as the Siren’s food. It had to be dissipated before the Sirens could absorb it.” Sunset saw that the Rainbooms, mainly Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow, were not convinced. “I-I didn't know what else to do.” she stuttered at first as she looked down.

“You could have dropped the curtains.” Rarity suggested with a bitter tone. “That would have given us a chance to deal with it.”

Sunset Shimmer:”I'm sorry,” Sunset said as she looked back up in an attempt to defend herself, “I just wanted to help.” she all but whimpered as the scowls on Rainbow, Rarity, and Applejack’s faces told her that she was not believed.

“Yeah, well, you didn't,” Rainbow said as she turned her back to Sunset.

Applejack all but groaned, “None of this would've happened if you weren't tryin' to show off –” She wanted to shout at Rainbow. She then turned to face away and muttered, “as usual.”

Before Rainbow could reply to Applejack’s accusation, “Good show, ‘Rain-brooms’.” came the voice of Trixie as she walked up the group with Fuchsia and Lavender flanking her. All three with triumphant grins on their faces. Trixie walked to be in between Rainbow and Sunset and pulled them to each be under her arm, “I especially liked the part where Sunset Shimmer, in a fit of jealous rage, knocked out Rainbow Dash mid-guitar solo!”

Sunset and Rainbow then broke out of Trixie’s hold. While Rainbow was quite, “It wasn't a fit of jealous rage!” Sunset borderline shouted.

“If you say so,” Trixie said with a smirk and a shrug of her shoulders not believing Sunset. Trixie then walked to the stage and opened the curtain, and was joined by the Rainbooms, to see that Cinch and Sunny were in a discussion over which band would be going to the finals. The two stopped and talking and turned to Juniper and the two nodded.“Ooh! Looks like they've already decided who'll be moving on to the finals!” Trixie stepped to the side with a triumphant, “I'm guessing it wasn't too difficult a decision.” she continued as she looked at her hand before she rubbed the tips of her fingers along the center of her shirt.

The Rainbooms all stepped back and huddled together, “What can we do?” Rarity asked as she was starting to panic like Twilight. “There isn't gonna be another opportunity for us to play.” she continued to compound the point. She then looked up to ceiling, “And I had the most gorgeous outfit for the finals!” she moaned.

Applejack rolled her eyes as she stepped back from the huddle, “Yup, 'cause that's the real tragedy here, Rarity – that you won't get to play dress-up!”

The huddle then broke with Rarity extremely cross with the paladin, “You know perfectly well that is not what I meant!” she chastised Applejack only for Applejack to once again roll her eyes.

As the huddle broke, Rainbow went to look through the curtains to catch the results. “You guys wanna keep it down?” she asked as she saw Juniper walked towards the board with the band logos. “They're about to announce who's moving on.” Rainbow continued as Juniper took out the red mark to cross out the losing band.

Fluttershy didn’t bother to look, “Who are you kidding? You know it isn't gonna be us.” Fluttershy as she tried to stop Rainbow from getting her hopes up when all accounts the Rainbooms had...

Juniper turned to the audience and began to announce the victor, “And after some careful deliberations, the judges, Baroness Abacus Cinch and her heir apparent Sunny Flare have declared that the band that will be joining the Dazzlings in tomorrow night's finals…” Juniper paused, clearly for dramatic tension. “The Rainbooms!”

“What?!” Trixie asked as she, her bandmates, and the Rainbooms all turned to the stage and saw Juniper cross out the logo of Trixie and the Illusionists. No one backstage could believe the result, but there it was, the logo for the Rainbooms was moved to be opposite of the logo of the Dazzlings on the bracket. The Rainbooms were flabbergasted and left speechless, as were Fuchsia and Lavender. Trixie, however, turned to face the Rainbooms and shouted, “This isn't over!” before she, Fuchsia and Lavender started to leave.

Juniper’s voice was heard as she continued, “Well ladies and gentlemen, that’s it for tonight. Tomorrow night we will have the finals in the amphitheater. Good night and see you all there.” Juniper then left the stage as the audience began to exit.

“Seriously?!” Pinkie wanted to question the result, but with Juniper, Cinch and Sunny exiting with the audience she wasn’t going to be able to. “We didn't even finish our—” Pinkie pointed out before she was cut off as the Dazzlings walked up to the Rainbooms from behind them.

“See you at tonight's big show, Rainbooms,” Adagio said as she passed most of the Rainbooms, as well as Aria as Sonata.

As they stopped in front of Rainbow Dash, Aria patted Rainbow on her shoulder, “We are really looking forward to it.”

“Yeah, well... not as much as we are!” Rainbow challenged the three as they turned away from the Rainbooms.

“Doubt it!” Sonata shouted back as the Dazzlings walked away from the Rainbooms.

Among the audience, there were many jeers mostly of distant. While many were happy that Trixie and The Illusionists didn’t make it to the final, almost no one could come to an agreement about how the Rainbooms were able to move on. This was not unnoticed by the Dazzlings. However, the Rainbooms moving on was not the only concern they had as they walked away from the Rainbooms. Aria turned to Adagio, “You think Cinch is trying to go back on the deal?”

“The Baroness is only doing what she thinks she needs to. She can’t have us think we are running the show, now can she.”

“Well, who is, us or her?” Sonata asked.

Adagio looked to see Trixie, who was on her knees in utter disbelief of the ruling. Adagio turned back to her sisters with a smile on her face, “If I am right about Trixie, and given my track record it’s a pretty safe bet that I am, we are.” The three then started towards the forlorn illusionist.

“This is a travesty! A travesty!” Trixie shouted towards the heavens as tears formed in her eyes, as if she was calling upon some being from on high. She then lowered her head and was about to cry, even with the best efforts of Fuchsia and Lavender to comfort her. Trixie could not help but feel that she was destroyed, as she was bested by Twilight, yet again, but unlike the last two times, Trixie’s ego was not the cause of her defeat nor had she done anything to deserve this.

“It really is!” Adagio said as the Dazzlings approach the three. She then offered her hand to Trixie who took and helped her (Trixie) up to her feet. Adagio then hugged Trixie, in what appeared to be an attempt to comfort her. “The Rainbooms don't deserve to be in the finals.” she said softly and full of concern before she ended the hug and took a step back to get a good look at Trixie and the Illusionists, “Not when your band was so much better in the semis.”

Aria then spoke as she stood between Fuchsia and Lavender and looked from one to the other and back, “And you girls clearly wanted it so much more, as you put in 100 %, while the Rainbooms thought they could skirt by thinking they were 20% cooler and put in less effort.” Fuchsia and Lavender then looked from Aria as she was walked to be in front of the three, along with Sonata, and joined with Adagio. The two thought about what Aria said, sure their instruments were samplers, but they poured as much blood, sweat, and tears into them as the Rainbooms, the small calluses forming on their fingers gave it away while Applejack’s and Rainbow’s fingers were immaculate and Pinkie’s hands were devoid of any blisters from her drumsticks. They scowled as they looked at each other in silent agreement that they had been wronged.

The Dazzlings then turned to leave Trixie and her bandmates. However, before they left Adagio looked towards the sky, “Alas, this is the way it's going to be.” she said as if she wanted something different before she and her sisters looked at the floor with closed eyes and shook their heads, “Dazzlings vs. Rainbooms.” They sighed and proceed.

Sonata stopped for a second and placed her index finger on her bottom lip, not unlike a child in thought, “Unless the Rainbooms don't manage to make it to their set or held up for some reason.” she commented innocently before she joined her sisters.

Trixie gave an “Hmm…” of contemplation before she turned to Fuchsia and Lavender and gave a sinister chuckle. This was not unheard by the Dazzlings as they too smiled at the turn of events.

The following day at the stage that was set up in the amphitheater for the show cast finale, The Rainbooms were doing some last minute preparation for some pre-show practice. However, Twilight was in a panic as she paced back and forth on the stage that was part of the amphitheater, or rather adjoined to one side of it. As Twilight paced frantically. “This is bad. This is really, really bad. None of the songs we've tried have worked on the Sirens.” The rest of the Rainbooms and Sunset could only look on as they were unable to get her to calm down. “Oh, and I spent a good part of last night and the night before trying to get this counterspell done, and it’s still not finished. I have to get this counterspell done by tonight for sure or we're all DOOMED.” She screamed before Fluttershy walked up to her and placed her hand on Twilight’s shoulder and handed her a paper bag.

Fluttershy smiled as she tried to offer some comfort to her friend by addressing the fact that they still had a few options, “But we haven't tried everything y--” She then paused as she noticed that Twilight was too busy hyperventilating into the paper bag that she (Fluttershy) had just given to her and was thus unable to pay Fluttershy the proper amount of attention to hear her pitch. Fluttershy looked left and right with her eyes nervously for a second before she changed tactics. “Um, you can do it, Twilight.” she tried to cheer her friend on. “If anyone can come up with a spell that can defeat the Sirens. It's you.” She then gave a weak and nervous smile.

Twilight stopped breathing into the bag and spoke, “Gee, thanks, Fluttershy. No pressure. No pressure at all.” Twilight’s tone was both sarcastic and still panicky before she resumed her hyperventilation into the bag. Fluttershy sighed as she stepped to from Twilight and then rejoined the rest of the band.

Applejack played a few notes on her bass just to make sure it was tuned. When she thought her bass was good to go, she spoke up to the rest of band, “Girls, Twilight is getting really round up about this counter-spell.” She turned her gaze to the panicking demigod. “She’s so flustered that she’s starting to make Rarity look sensible.” Rarity gave Applejack an annoyed yet blank stare in response to the paladin’s comment. Applejack either didn’t notice or care as she continued “There's got to be something we can do to help her out.”

“Maybe we don't need to write a new song?” Fluttershy offered.

“What song can we sing that will rock this place?” Rainbow asked Seriously, because ‘Raise this Barn’, ‘Smile Smile Smile’, ‘Art of the Dress’, ‘So Many Wonders, Morning in Magiville’, ‘What My Aura Mark Is Telling Me’, ‘I've Got to Find a Way’, ‘A True, True Friend’, ‘Life in Mystica’, and ‘Let the Rainbow Remind You’ won’t fight here. We have to rock them.” Rainbow pointed as she listed off a slew of the songs they have performed, many of which during the Musical Thursday of Twilight’s ascension into her current demigod state. “And we already tried all the songs I wrote,” Rainbow added, “expect ‘Awesome As I Wanna Be’” Rainbow then turn her eyes towards Sunset as she continues, “because someone decided to cut it short.”

“Well, maybe if we tried a song someone else wrote for a change.” Fluttershy challenged.

“No way.” Rainbow declared as she walked away from the band.

“And why ever not, Dashie?” Rarity questioned with a raised eyebrow.

“Because I'm the only one who has written any songs and because all my songs are the best.” she declared with her arms crossed in front of her chest. Everyone, even Twilight, and Sunset gave Rainbow a clear ‘Are you kidding me?’ look. However, Rainbow remained completely oblivious as she walked up to one of the microphones. “I’m sure she’ll be able to come up with something after one of you calms her down.” Rainbow said as she raised the microphone to be where she wanted it to be so that she could sing and still play her guitar, “I’m going to check the sound system.” She then took the microphone, “Check, one, two. Testing, testing... “ Rainbow then tapped the microphone a couple of times. “Testing…!” Rainbow said with her voice echoing followed by feedback from the microphone, which caused her to cringe at first.

Everyone shook their head and gave a groan. Fluttershy sighed, “I don’t why I mean try.” she muttered and then she had a thought, “Hey, does it make sense that we made it to the finals. It doesn’t make sense because we didn’t even finish our last song. How did we make it to the finals?” she asked.

“Yes very strange, indeed,” came Trixie’s voice. Everyone then turned to see Trixie, Fuchsia, and Lavender also on the stage but close to backstage controls.

Rainbow growled, “What are you doing here, Trixie?” she said, not unlike an animal that found another animal of a different species that competed for the same food source. “Pretty sure the losers are supposed to be in the nosebleed section,” she said as she pointed in the general direction of the top row of seats for the amphitheater.

Trixie’s eyes narrowed as she pointed at Rainbow, “The Great and Powerful Trixie is the most talented here. It is I who deserves to be in the finals. And I will not…” she pause as she snapped her fingers as Lavender went to a set of levers. Trixie then finished, “...be denied!” as Lavender pulled a lever. And the curtains came down around the Rainbooms and Sunset which cause them to exclaim in frustration. “WRONG LEVER!” Trixie shouted as Lavender gave a nervous laugh and then pulled the other lever which opened the trap door in the center of the stage. The seven screamed as the fell into the area under the stage and the amphitheater’s arena before the door closed above them. “See you after the show. Losers.” Trixie said as the curtains lifted before she and her bandmates laughed as they left to prepare for the newly opened spot.

Witnessing this from one of the middle rows of the amphitheater, were the sirens. Sonata was finished eating a box of popcorn as Aria also finished eating a leg of turkey. Adagio, however, was not eating anything but did finish a glass of red wine. With her wine gone, Adagio started to chuckle, as she turned back to her sisters, “Told you someone would give them a shove. And Trixie was just the one.”

Sonata discarded her empty box of popcorn and looked at Aria with confusion, “But she didn't shove them. She snapped her fingers to have one of her bandmates pull a lever.”

Adagio facepalmed as Aria groaned as she threw the turkey leg, clean of all meat. “Go back to sleep, Sonata.” she wanted to order.

Just then an arrow with a note tied to it struck the floor of the row at Adagio’s feet. She reached down and picked it up, “Well, talk about making a point.” Adagio then took the note off and read it. She started to laugh as she read. She handed the note to Aria.

Aria showed the note to Sonata, “Are you sure it’s a good idea to accept the challenge?”

“Yeah, we’ve already won,” Sonata added.

Adagio turned to face them and shook her head, “Not yet. There is still the pay off from my little spell on Flash.”

As the sun was getting close to set, the Dazzlings arrived at a cliff. “So where are they?” Aria asked as she looked around.

Sonata then pointed ahead of them, “There they are.” she declared as they saw the Flash Drives waiting for them.

The Flash Drives did not have with their instruments but were in their armor, and with their arms at the ready. Brawly wore a golden colored tunic over his shirt and a combination of a gauntlet and a bracer on each of his arms with red focus gems in the palms. He clapped his hands together and cause the gems to glow before he slapped the ground with his right hand, which caused a small earth slide. Valhallen wore mail armor that was also colored gold, in his right hand was a long, composite re-curving bow about his size and in his left hand an arrow ready to be knocked. Ringo’s armor was also mail and was armed with a lucerne hammer. Cherry wore a breastplate and bracers of golden color and wielded a double-headed ax with a fairly long shaft. Mystery floated in the sky with ethereal wings that looked much owl’s. She was dressed in golden colored mail armor with a military fork. Flash, however, was not in his golden colored standard issued armor, instead, he wore the guard expedition outfit that was colored in dull browns and greens and was mostly made of hide and leather.

“So, you guys decided to take the phrase literally,” Aria said with a slight moan of boredom in her voice.

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.

Back in the area under the amphitheater, where the trap door of the stage lead, the Rainbooms, and Sunset had traversed the network of tunnels that were part of the foundation until they arrived at a door out, but it was locked as Rainbow Dash and Applejack continued to slam into the door trying to break it down. By the looks of the two, they have been at this for a while. Applejack stepped to the side as Rainbow continued to go at the door. “That door’s not going to budge.” Applejack declared. Rainbow, however, continued to ram the door a few more times until it was opened from the outside, and she collided with a foot that was sticking out. Rainbow rolled back in pain. The rest then jumped to their feet as the Sirens stood in the doorway, Aria was lowering her right foot. The three then took one step in.

Adagio then strutted forward as she looked at the Rainbooms and Sunset, a triumphant grin on her face, “Well, well, well. Look at what we have here.” She looked at Twilight, “Royalty.” She then turned to Sunset “Nobility”, she then shifted her gaze Rarity and then to Rainbow Dash, “The gentry,” she paused as she looked over Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, “Oh, how quaint, even the rabble.” She then started to laugh and was joined by her sisters. She then stopped and then her sisters, “What fools you are. You thought you could stop us.”

Aria then took over, “It’s been fun, girls, but play times over.”

“Sowwy!” Sonata added with a mocking form of a childish inability to make an 'r' sound and instead made a ‘w’ sound.

“Too bad we were just one step ahead of you, from the start.” Adagio all but chuckled before the three started to laugh again.

Sunset then stepped forward to be between the Rainbooms and the Dazzling, more so between Twilight and Adagio. Her focus gem and hands started to glow as she prepared to take Adagio on in a fight, “What do you want?” Sunset asked as flames appeared in her hands.

Adagio smiled as she walked up to Sunset and hugged her, “Oh, nothing.” she then ended the hug and walked backward to be aligned with her sisters, “We just wanted to thank you.” Sunset lowered her hands in confusion. She was not the only one, as the Rainbooms looked at each other each wondering if the others had a clue to what Adagio was talking about. The sirens smiled as Adagio spoke, “If it wasn’t for you, well, let’s just say that my sisters and I haven’t eaten this well in over a thousand years.” she said as she licked her lips and Aria gave a very throaty ‘mhmm’ as if they just had a very delicious meal.

“Yeah, a good thing, too.” Sonata chimed in before she burped. “Excuse me?” She asked with a blush and a nervous laugh. After Aria and Adagio rolled their eyes, Sonata turned back to the Rainbooms, “Sorry, but totally thankies. Wouldn’t want to put on a show on an empty stomach.”

“What are you talking about?” Twilight asked the question on the minds of everyone there. Adagio then smirked, with a clearly malicious undertone to her smirk before she took out from within her cleavage a blood-stained rag and tossed it at Twilight. Twilight then looked at it and saw Flash’s aura mark. It was his shirt and it was covered in blood, much like someone used it to wipe their face like it was a napkin. “No,” Twilight whispered as she fell to her knees in as tears started to form in her eyes.

As the others walked to Twilight and looked at the blood-stained tattered remains of Flash’s shirt, Aria spoke up as she leaned against the wall and looked at the opposite one, “The Flash Drives challenged us to a rematch.” The Rainbooms turned to her as they noticed that she had a toothpick. After a second of using it, she threw it the ground. “They actually thought they stood a chance against us.” Aria then turned to face the Rainbooms and smiled, and showed her pearly white teeth. The Rainbooms collectively took a step back. The illustration of the sirens’ teeth found in Bullion’s autobiography did not do the teeth the justice they were due. If anything the illustrations were a stick-figure rendering of them. “You should have heard the way they screamed as we ripped their flesh from their bones.” Aria could not help but laugh as she got off of the wall and stood next to Adagio, “It was music to our ears.”

Every one of the Rainbooms (and Sunset), Twilight and Rainbow Dash especially, felt sick by what they just heard. Not just what was the Sirens said, but how casually the Sirens spoke about having killed and eaten the Flash Drives. Rainbow, most noticeably of the group, could taste bile in her mouth, and her face turned a greenish-gray color.

“And we saved the cinnamon roll with the blue hair and eyes for dessert,” Sonata added with a big grin on her face, not unlike a child that was just given their favorite dessert simply because their parent wanted to let them have it. “Mmm, so good.” Sonata continued as she rubbed her stomach. She then paused and opened her eyes, “I think I still have some of his marrow stuck between my teeth.” She tapped on Aria’s shoulder, “Hey, Aria, can you check for me?” she asked as she opened her mouth to show her pearly white teeth, which matched her sister ’s, point for point.

Aria sighed as she looked into Sonata’s mouth and looked at each and every tooth she could see from her angle. “You’re good,” Aria answered with her tone saturated with annoyance with her younger sister. Sonata closed her mouth and jumped into the air once as if she was cheering for herself.

None of the Rainbooms found the action amusing, Twilight least of all. She started to breathe through her nose as if to contain her ire. However, that failed as her eyes shot open and were glowing fields of purple, even with tears starting to trickle from the corners. In addition to her eyes, her focus gem, her hands and the stars of her metallic wings, also glowed the same brilliant purple. “MURDERER!” she roared as she rushed Adagio.

Adagio smirked as she sidestepped Twilight, grabbed the demigod by the wrist and tossed her (Twilight) back into the Rainbooms with a shocking great amount of force and almost no effort on her part. The impact forced all of them to the ground. Adagio smirked as she looked at the toppled demigod and her fallen friends. “We’d love to stay and chat, but we’ve got THE final number to prepare.” The three then started out, however, Adagio stopped and turned back before she exited. She looked at Twilight straight on. “Oh, and by the way, you were right about there something being wrong with that little boy toy of yours.” Adagio’s focus gem then glowed as did her irises, her irises taking on the same shade of orange as her focus gem. “Me.” Twilight FINALLY saw the color change and realized that she had been seeing the same thing happen to Flash repeatedly for the past two days. She and the rest of the Element Bearers were frozen from the shock. Sunset, however, could only look at the floor, her guilt written all over her face. Adagio noticed the change in Sunset’s demeanor, but she elected to put the information to the side as something she might be able to use later. However, she did laugh and broke the Rainbooms from their frozen state. “You want to know what the funniest part of all this is?” She asked rhetorically and mockingly, “It’s that he died trying to prove himself worthy of you, but all along, the truth was that you weren’t worthy of him.” The words cut Twilight worse than any sword. “If you were, you would have figured all this out sooner.” Adagio cackled evilly as she walked out of the space.

“Bye-Bye,” Sonata said as she waved to them as Aria slammed the door shut and locked it. Outside, as Adagio cast a locking spell, Sonata turned to Aria, “Say, can I have the one with cotton candy hair, she looks like she’ll taste super duper sweet.”

Aria rolled her eyes, “Sure, you can have the butterfly too as far as I care, as long as I get the paladin and the elementalist. Unlike you, I like to have protein not fat in my meals” Aria then turned to Adagio, “Hey Dagi, any one of them in particular you want?"

“I’m not deaf.” Adagio groaned. She then turned back to the locked door and the ones inside, “I’m taking the demigod.”

“Okay,” Aria agreed to it, almost apathetically as she shrugged her shoulders.

“Why does she get the demigod? It’s not fair.” Sonata pouted with puffed out cheeks.

Aria rolled her eyes and sighed, “When you come up with an idea that enables us to trap a demigod or something more powerful you can have that.” Aria turned to Adagio who nodded in agreement, which brought a big closed-eyed toothy grin to Sonata’s face. Adagio and Aria both shook their heads at their sister’s action. Aria then thought about the other two trapped in there. She then addressed Adagio about them, “So are you going to have some bacon with her?”

“And some drama.” Adagio said with a chuckle and licked her lips at the thought of her impending meal, “But we got to get ready for our big number.” Adagio then lead the way away as Sonata and Aria laughed as well.

Back inside the locked room, Twilight got up and noticed that the guilty look Sunset had. Twilight then looked at the rag and thought back at what Adagio said about Flash being under her influence, “Please tell me that you didn’t know?” Twilight pleaded, hoping that her inference was wrong.

Sunset couldn’t face Twilight as she spoke, “I found out yesterday,” Sunset confessed. Twilight dropped to her knees, horrified about what she was told. Sunset continued, “I thought about telling you, but you already had so much on your plate with, well, the counterspell and your friends' bickering. I thought that if I kept you from worrying about it, we could have defeated the sirens in time to break him free before anything bad happened.”

“Well, now he’s DEAD, and I’m NEVER going to get to see him or talk to him again, and the LAST thing I’m ever going to remember about him was that he got angry with me ALL BECAUSE OF THAT HARLOT!” Twilight shouted back at Sunset as her anger and sorrow grew as she spoke, however, her sorrow overpowered her anger as she then collapsed to the ground, curled into the fetal position, and wept while she still held Flash’s shirt. Sunset could only look at the ceiling at a lost of what the seven could do.

The Counter-spell

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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.

Author's Notes:

Songs used, "Tricks Up My Sleeve"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOEKu8L5UqQ

and "Welcome To The Show"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjmsThcOGTQ

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.

My Little Mages: The Sirens' Song

by Foxhelm

Prologue: The Stellar Exile

Be-Dazzling

Answering the Call

Return to Midnight Castle

The Road to the Battle

Battle Of The Bands part 1

Battle Of The Bands part 2

The Counter-spell