> Rise of the Element Gang Sneak Peek
>  by Power of Six
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> The Other Side
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“So, what would you do?” Shield asked.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“What would you do if you did become friends with her?” Shield asked.

“Well…” I said as I decided to play out what was in my mind before me. Literally. I was alone with friends after all. I tapped into the magic I naturally held as a unicorn and reached out into the night with it.

Shaping it gradually, I formed a small imitation outline of myself, in a dark blue. It twinkled and glowed from the magic. Then I made one of Twilight, in the same way, in her purple color.

From a young age, I had been able to do this: to use magic to shape what was in my mind into a colored form that moved as I instructed from my thoughts, like they were alive. I had never learned it from a book, it just came naturally to me, like breathing or eating. No other unicorn could do anything like I did. It was a special talent of mine. That was why I kept it hidden.

I didn't want to know what others would think of me, of what I could do. I didn't want that kind of treatment. What if they didn't like it and scorned me for it, said it was stupid? So, I focused on study and knowledge. I passed my tests, earned my Cutie Mark of my scroll, and kept my magical color puppetry hidden from everypony only sharing that secret with those I truly trust.

I sometimes used it, but only if I was alone and if I was perhaps a little bored, or emotional. Tonight, it was neither of the latter. Well, it was emotional, but this was the good kind and I was gonna show my fellow stallions what I would do if I managed to make Twilight my friend.

I played out my little scene, with my colored avatar nervously approaching the Twilight-puppet, before shyly slinking away again. The Twilight puppet didn't even turn around or notice mine. Then I made puppets of Shield, Dog, and Leon who then motion my puppet to go over to the Twilight puppet. Each time I did this, I would get a little closer each time before leaving. Then, when I was at my closest, my puppet manages to get the Twilight puppet’s attention and she turns to look at him. It isn’t long until they start hanging out after he introduces her to Shield, Dog, and Leon. When they start to begin sharing the moments I had with the guys, I soon sang out what I wanted to show Twilight.

Right there, from the start,
I’d put the offer out.
Don’t want to chase her down,
I know she’d see what I’m about;
She’d would see,
If she ran with me;
Then I could cut her free,
Out of the drudgery,
And walls she’d keep in;
Show her the life,
That could’ve been.
She’d see what she was missing,
Could finally feel whole.
Trade that typical routine,
For something colorful.
And if it’s crazy,
We’d live a little crazy.
It can clear it up,
When it feels a lit hazy.
Like anypony,
You can put it sensible;
Always having a normal day,
A life of conventional;
Or you can risk it all and see,
I didn’t know I could get away;
From the same old part,
I had to play.
But then she helped me see the way,
Now I got what I need,
It’s clear to see;
So now life’s more fun for me,
No more worries, you see;
I can be who I want to be,
ʹCause thanks to her, I took the ride,
That took me to the other side.
ʹCause you can do like you do,
Or you can do like me;
Stay in the cage,
Or finally take the key.
For once unleashed,
Suddenly you’re free,
Free to fly;
For the open sky,
That’ll take you to the other side.

Then Shield took a verse

Okay, okay,
We get the point.
We know how much it means to you,
There’s no need to appoint.

Leon then took a verse.

Yeah, we know already know.
She gave you hope.
And without her,
In friendship, you’d be such a dope.

“Hey!” I said, offended by that statement.

“Well, he’s kinda right.” Dog said as he took a verse.

We all wouldn’t be here without her,
With this amazin’ trip.
No, we wouldn’t,
If ya didn’t search for friendship.
And we wouldn’t be this Element Gang squad.
Even though ya first said ya enjoyed the life,
Ya now call bein’ trapped in,
Ya decided to take us in,
Not lookin’ back on what it would’ve been.

Then Shield took another verse.

Now I respect you and this talent that you have.
It’s really something,
To all of us, on our behave.

Then Leon took another verse.

You lived among the swells and I had to pick up peanut shells.
Now I’m living with you,
With all those crazy spells

I then took on my verse.

Then I have to ask you,
Did you think that I was okay,
With that uptown I got to play?
No, for I didn’t have anypony else,
Didn’t have friends to help me through the day.
Everywhere I went, everypony I would see,
They look at me,
And say I’m strange,
But then you guys came along,
And my life had a whole new change.
When you guys helped me get what I need,
And to take the ride,
I got to see the other side.
So I went off and do like you do,
As much as you do like me,
I wanted to break out of my cage,
So I took the key.
Now I’m doing fine because,
I got to see the other side.
Now this is how I like to spend my days,
Excitement and joy and parties and crazy ways.

Then Leon took another verse.

Before that, you lived unknown,
And with a frown.
Once we got mixed up with you,
You became the talk of the town

Then Shield took another verse.

Not stained, rejected,
Or another clown.
Yes, I can definitely see,
Nothing can get you down.

Then Dog took another verse.

But ya would finally live a little,
Finally laugh a little,
With your own team,
In every battle.

I then took over again.

And that’s what I wanted her to see,
That it was more than it would seem.
If she gave me a chance,
I would show her the freedom to dream.
Friendship is the greatest thing,
Not something you can call insane.
It wakes you up and cures your aching pain.
Most ponies in Canterlot are elitists,
Always saying things like “Tsk, tsk.”
To them, I say,
What is life without a risk?

“That’s what I’m talking about!” Shield said as I set up walls around us and we start breaking them.

We all then start singing together.

So when your life begins,
Take your walls and make them start breaking.
Friendship’s a chance you can’t miss,
Now that’s a deal that seems worth taking.
To have it or not,
The choice is up to you.
It doesn’t have a price,
Nothing is lost.
Doesn’t matter how much you get,
Having ponies who care about you,
Will be all you need to get you set.

I then sang my verse.

If you want a piece of all the action,
All you need to do is make some friends.
The amount you get,
There is no end.
Whether it’s two,

Then Leon.

Or three,
Or more than.

Then Dog.

Like five.

Then Shield.

Or even ten.

We all then sang together once again.

So you can get away,
To a whole new part you’ll play,
Having joy,
Fill your days;
Friendship’s got what you need,
So come along and take the ride,
To the other side.
So if you do like I do,
So if you do like me;
Forget the cage,
ʹCause we know how to make the key;
All right!
Now we’re free to fly,
We’ll go to the other side.

I then took on my verse.

So if you do like I do,

(To the other side)

So if you do like me,

(We’ll go to the other side)

With amazing friends,
You’ll finally see.

We all then sang together.

ʹCause once you make friends,
Any kind of friends,
You can take a ride,
And you’ll be going to the other side!

I then finished us off with.

You’ll be going to the other side.

Finally, I stopped my magic and looked at my friends with smiles as great as theirs. Looks like that was what I needed to cheer me up. I was grateful they were there for me. I probably would be bawling my eyes out like a 3-year-old who lost his favorite toy if they weren't.

“Thanks, guys.” I said to them. “You really are the best.”

“That’s what we’re here for, bud.” Shield said as he and the others got me into a group hug, one I gladly returned.
> Rise of the Element Gang Q&A
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey, everypony! Got the Q&A ready, now all I need is the Qs.
Okay, everypony. Here's how this works:

All the questions that you have, you can just submit them into the comments. They can either be about some questions you have about the story, anything you want to say, or questions that you want to ask the characters in the story. Starting around in June I'll be posting the Q&A answers to it, answering the questions you have or having one of the cast answering the ones you for the specific member of the cast.





Just a few rules:
1. No rude language or anything inappropriate. This is still family friendly, so be a little more considerate for what you say.
2. These are only questions about Rise of the Element Gang, so there will be limited answers to what questions you'll ask.
3. If you have a question for a character in the story, make sure to put the name of the character you're asking in the question.

That's all I got, so I'll let you guys put in your questions in the comments. Can't wait to see what you got!