Welcome back to Pedestria! The Ninja and The Main 7 take on a brand new challenge… not the forces of evil magic, but a rival school!
It’s been a few months since the end of Rainbow Rocks, and the Main 7 and the Ninja have become closer than ever. But now a new challenge arises, The Friendship Games! They must all work together to beat Crystal Prep, investigate it’s strangely familiar Star students, and find out the culprit behind everyone’s powers being stolen before it’s too late!
The sound of running footsteps is heard for several seconds before the view fades in to an extreme close-up of four feet pounding along a sidewalk. One is clad in short, dark gray, high-heeled boots with black buckles and orange chevron stripes, and the legs to which they are attached are covered by blue-green tights. The second is in brown boots with grey pants and a dark green open jacket, with a green shirt under it. These two are Lloyd Garmadon and Sunset Shimmer. Their shadows cast itself against the front wall of a house, Sunset’s long hair streaming behind it, and the feet stir up the leaves scattered on the sidewalk. Cut to a close-up of the rearing-horse statue on the front lawn of Canterlot High School, the camera aimed upward at it and tilting down to frame the front entrance. It is late afternoon, and Applejack and Rainbow Dash are already at the steps, the latter kneeling over her guitar case, as Fluttershy, the other Ninja, and Rarity walk up. Here comes Sunset and Lloyd, the corner of a backpack peeking out from under the wild curtain of hair.
“I got your text, Rainbow Dash! Did something come through the portal? Is Equestrian magic on the loose? Did Twilight come back with a problem that only we can solve?!” Sunset asked.
“Did a villain from Ninjago come with a giant army?” Lloyd added.
Pinkie Pie appears out of nowhere, holding a cupcake in each hand and grinning hugely.
“Has a giant cake monster covered all the cakes in the world in cake?!” Pinkie added her own guess last as she wolfs down both the treats in one bite.
“There’s cake?!” Cole perked up. “Not anymore!”
“Um, not exactly.” Rainbow nervously grinned and stood up, lifting her guitar from her case.
“Uh, I don’t understand?” Sunset raised an eyebrow.
Applejack crosses to Rainbow, who has shifted her grip on the axe to clearly show a popped string.
“Well, Sunset, I was just tellin' Rainbow Dash here that a broken guitar string doesn't really qualify as an emergency.” Applejack rolled her eyes as she testily pointed at the guitar.
“It totally does!”
Here comes Rarity—reading glasses on, measuring tape around shoulders, pincushion strapped to one wrist.
“Really, Rainbow Dash! I was in the middle of sewing a very complex appliqué on my latest frock.” Rarity complained.
“And I was just about to tuck everyone in for the night at the shelter. Now we'll have to start stories all over again.” Fluttershy frowned at the animals and sighed.
“I was finishing up a very important project and I’m gonna be lucky if it still works when I get back home!” Jay groaned as he removed the goggle from his eyes, showing smoke and dust over his blue skin.
“Why would you send all of us an emergency text for a guitar string?” Sunset asked.
“Well, I was going to pony up and show our fans some awesome guitar licks, but I kinda need all six strings to do it. Got any extra?” Rainbow asked as she pointed to the CMC who waved at them and she let out a low smile.
Everyone but Rainbow groaned. “Here. But everyone finished practicing for the day. I’m pretty sure all the music rooms are locked.” Sunset handed her the string. “No problem. The acoustics in the hallway are perfect for power chords!” Rainbow said as she played a chord. “C’mon! Let’s go!” She waved for everyone to follow her into the school.
The group followed as Sunset stayed behind and began to sit down. “Sunset, you coming?” Lloyd popped out from the door. “I’ll catch up in a bit!” She said as Lloyd shrugged and went inside. She sat down and began to write in her notebook.
“Dear Princess Twilight, how's life treating you in Equestria? Any cool new magic spells? It's been pretty quiet here at CHS since the Battle of the Bands. We still pony up when we play music, which Rainbow Dash just loves to show off. The Ninja have been great additions and I’m sure Kai and Rainbow have crushes on each other, but both would never admit it. I still can't quite grasp what it's all about. I would love to hear what you think about it when you get a sec. Your friend, Sunset Shimmer.”
By the time she finishes, the camera has backed up past the statue and stopped just beyond the curb. A bus pulls up, hiding the entire school from view; cut to a close-up of the lower portion of its doors as they open. Standing at the exit are two legs, framed from the knees down and sporting sneakers and jeans with turned-up cuffs. When they step down to ground level, the hem of a light blue-green garment comes into view; tilt up as the bus pulls away. This individual has light violet skin and is wearing a hooded sweatshirt and sunglasses; hood up, hands in pockets, hunched down to disguise itself as much as possible.
One hand brings out a boxy device, holding it up by a handle that extends straight down from the bottom, and an antenna flips up from either side as the free fingers adjust a dial. The new arrival aims the unit at the statue and begins to walk toward it; a close-up of the panel shows an oscilloscope signal and a dial gauge split into two regions, green and red. The pointer wavers back and forth across the border, then veers firmly into the green once this person is standing right at the statue’s base. A few steps bring the side facing the school under scrutiny; now the needle swings hard into the red zone and the oscilloscope signal goes wild. A touch of fingers against the vertical stone surface sets off the characteristic ripples of the portal between this realm and Equestria. Sunset glances up from her writing with alarm.
“Hey! What are you doing?!” Sunset yelled as the figure looked up. They realized they were caught and began to run off to the street. “Wait! Stop!”
The escapee makes it across the street, but Sunset is forced to stop short at the curb in order to avoid being hit by a passing car. Hooking a hand around the nearest lamppost, the escapee cuts a tight turn that very nearly drags the sneakered feet out from underneath; a bus pulls up, perfectly timed for the figure to jump on. Sunset reaches this side of the street, only to get a faceful of exhaust fumes as the bus pulls away
“Who was that?”
The Bus pulls off, and the mysterious figure finally reveals themselves to look like… Twilight Sparkle? But this can’t be our Twilight. The Bus continues on its way to the city as the girl lets out a deep sigh, and shortly arrives to a giant school. A dissolve shifts the view to a close-up just behind the intrepid girl, the camera following her to one of the pairs of closed double doors. These are pushed open, the view flaring brilliant white for a moment and then clearing to show her approaching a classroom door; this is shoved open, another flash, and she comes to a third closed door. Throughout this sequence, the crystal motif is seen at work inside the school as well as out.
When Twilight opens this door, the screen does not flare again; instead, a darkened laboratory can be seen beyond the threshold. She reaches in around the edge and flips a switch, bringing up the lights. Once she enters, the camera cuts to the note/chart/string-covered bulletin board she had been studying in that post-credits scene. Zoom in slowly as she lifts a small drawing, ready to tack it up, then cut to an extreme close-up of a bare spot. The paper is stuck on, showing a sketch of the statue’s base and a question mark in the center of one side, and the thumbtack already has a string tied to it. A spark of purple energy travels along its length.
———————
Rainbooms:The Friendship Games
Rainbooms: We’ve come this far and we’re not going back [No way!]
Prepare yourself, ’cause we’re on the attack [Attack!]
Won’t have to find us, we’ll be tracking you down [Right now!]
And when we’re finished, we’ll be taking the crown
All the way [all the way], all the way to the Friendship Games
Na, na, na-na-na, oh, na, na, let’s go
All the way [all the way], all the way to the Friendship Games
Na, na, na-na-na, oh, na, na, let’s go
Hey! Ho!
Hey! Let’s go!
Rainbow: We studied hard and we’re here to win
Cole: We’re only tellin’ you once
Sunset: Our magic comes from the inside out
Rainbooms: What you see’s what you get, don’t you ever forget
All the way [all the way], all the way to the Friendship Games
Na, na, na-na-na, oh, na, na, let’s go
All the way [all the way], all the way to the Friendship Games
Na, na, na-na-na, oh, na, na, let’s go
Rainbooms: Na, na, na-na-na, oh, na, na, let’s go
Na, na, na-na-na, oh, na, na, let’s go
Na, na, na-na-na, oh, na, na, let’s go
—————
By this point, the camera has backed up far enough to bring Twilight’s bent head and intent eyes into view in the foreground. The flickering glare is concentrated on her face, suggesting a bit of electrical rewiring being done. A series of fade-out/fade-in transitions presents the following. One hand, emerging from a lab coat’s white sleeve, removing the front panel from the device she used to scan the statue…she takes a screwdriver to it with the help of a large magnifier on a desk stand…she fits a cover onto a round purple device that resembles an oversized makeup compact with a small hole drilled through the hinge…one last tweak brings the item to life, with a strobing light making its way around a central black window…seen from behind, she hooks up a circuit and is rewarded with a crackle of sparks…holding the device open, she smiles triumphantly as the cover slowly shuts by itself. The screen fades to black around it as the strobe begins to circle the window, in which a star appears. It drifts to a point slightly above the center of the screen.
Into to an overhead view of Canterlot High, seen from roof level, the library’s glass dome superimposes itself over the device as the latter fades away. It is now the following day, and muffled conversations can be heard from within. Zoom out slowly, then dissolve to a slow pan across the library’s busy central rotunda. The camera cuts to a couple of students looking through the stacks on the upper level, then to a group at a study table, and finally to all the Rainbooms save Rainbow clustered around a different one. Applejack leans back in a chair, feet propped up; Fluttershy sits on the floor near her backpack and Angel; Pinkie sits on a rolling ladder intended for reaching the top shelves; Rarity pulls a book from one of the lower ones; Sunset paces the floor. The first three are already reading, and Rarity has disposed of her glasses, measuring tape, and pincushion. Cole has his headphones in listening to music in a chair, Lloyd is flipping through the magic book Wu left him, Jay is throwing out books as he cannot find nothing he wants to read, Kai puts his head down on the desk, Zane types on a laptop and Nya is pressing a button on her trident, unsheathing it and redoing it over and over again.
“She was definitely doing something to the statue, or was going to.” Sunset said as she paced the room, uncomfortable with the previous situation.
“Do you think she came through the portal from Equestria or Ninjago?” Fluttershy spoke up. “No, I’m pretty sure I would have noticed that. I think she was from over here.” Sunset reasoned.
“Well that’s a relief. That last thing we need is another magical so-and so bent on world domination comin’ over from Equestria.” Applejack sets her book on her knees during this line, then puts her arms behind her head and winks at the end of it. “Or a strange group of magical teens from a complete nother world.”
Sunset and Lloyd respond with a smirk and a cocked eyebrow, taking with good humor the jibe at the crises of the fall formal and the battle of the bands, the first of which was her doing, and the second as to which the ninja came during.
“Haha yeah, no. Last thing I want is to fight something, especially if I gotta sing at it. It’s been peaceful and I don’t want the next overlord coming here.” Jay groaned as he turned around from the shelf.
“Agreed. I have no interest in another fight against the powers of evil magic. The wear and tear on my wardrobe is just too much to keep up with.” Rarity complained.
“Still, a mysterious figure snooping around the portal? Don’t you want to know what she was up to?” Sunset smiled excitedly.
Cole took his headphones off and blankly stared. “I really don’t.”
“I don’t even want to guess.” Fluttershy added with a stutter.
Rainbow chooses this moment to make her entrance, stepping into view from around the corner and holding a book marked with the Canterlot High logo.
“Well you don’t have to, because I’ve totally figured out who it was.”
Pinkie popped up in surprise as she tried to guess who the person was. “Ooh, ooh! A nighttime statue cleaner? A magical portal maintenance maintainer? A gardener?”
She leans out of view, holding a different book into view on each of the first two guesses that follows, as Rainbow is not amused.
“How about you let her tell us Pinkie?” Kai muttered from the table as Rainbow pushed her away on the ladder.
“Seeing as how they got off a bus from the city, and got back on a bus headed to the city, I’ll bet they go to…”
“Crystal Prep.” The five girls groaned, leaving the other seven except Kai confused.
“Yep. With the Friendship Games starting tomorrow, they’d totally try to prank us by defacing the Wondercolt statue.” Rainbow groaned.
“Crystal Prep? There’s more than one school here?” Lloyd questioned. “Wait but I thought this was the main area!” Jay added.
“Maybe you two should not think about it too much.” Rarity patted both of their backs.
“Why would anyone take a bus all the way from the city for that?” Sunset asked.
“Because the Crystal Prep Shadowbolts are our biggest rivals?” Applejack answered sourly.
“Because that’s just what the students at Crystal Prep would do?” Rarity added.
“Because even though they beat us in everything…”
Rainbow holds up a yearbook and She shows a different page on each of the next three mentions. Every one depicts three students in the magenta/dark-blue athletic wear favored by Crystal Prep. They stand on a three-level medal podium, holding trophies for the relevant sport; meanwhile, the same three defeated Canterlot High athletes stand off to one side, becoming increasingly despondent from one shot to the next.
“…soccer…tennis…golf… …they still have to gloat!”
She shows another page, which captures the statue dressed up in a clownish mishmash of colors, topped with a red rubber nose and a fluffy purple wig studded with bows.
Kai snorts at the image while Lloyd examines it over, confused. “So like, instead of fighting the forces of evil, you fight a different school?”
“Seems kinda silly to me.” Sunset said as she pushed the book down. “SILLY?!?” The other girls yelled at her.
“So I guess you think the Friendship Games are silly too.” Rainbow glared.
“Cut her some slack, it’s not like you’re gonna get stuck in the tournament of elements.” Cole came to her defense.
Fluttershy crossed over to them and put her hands on their shoulders. “No, we’ll be stuck fighting against a school full of meanies.”
“They haven’t seen mean yet!” Kai interrupted.
Fluttershy rolled her eyes at this and continued. “Not everything has to be magical, or evil to be important.”
“Yeah, you’re right, sorry Fluttershy.” Cole apologized. “I know it’s a big deal for you all.” Sunset added.
Rarity sighed. “That’s putting it mildly, darling. They’re still revamping the playing field in preparation.”
“Well guess what, you got ninja on your side this time, and I don’t think a few prep school students could beat us at what we do best.” Nya put a hand on Rarity’s shoulder, which she smiled at.
“Mind you we haven’t done anything ninja related in the past few months.” Cole raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, you haven’t.” Nya smirked as Cole raised a knowing grin.
“I just don’t understand why there’s this big rivalry. Aren’t the Friendship Games supposed to be about our two schools getting along?” Sunset asked.
“Well, it’s kinda hard to get along with someone who beats you at everything.” AJ raised the book in Rainbow’s grip as Rainbow threw it aside.
“This time, things are gonna be different.”
Sunset raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
Kai comes up next to Rainbow and fist bumps her. “Don’t worry, you’ll find out.”
They smirks and throw a sideways glance across the library. Dissolve to the stage in the gym; rows of chairs are set up in front and occupied by students, and Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna stand at a microphone. The younger sister has a clipboard under her arm, and a curtain has been drawn closed behind the two.
“As I am sure you all know, tomorrow Canterlot High School will be hosting our fellow students from Crystal Prep Academy, as we join together in the spirit of excellence, sportsmanship, and fidelity to compete in the Friendship Games.” Celestia spoke.
During the first third, cut to a brief pan across one set of bleachers. A confused Lloyd, an interested Cole, a content Nya, a glum Fluttershy, a bored Rarity, and a slightly worried Sunset are among those seated up here, and the tops of Jay’s, Zane’s, Applejack’s, and Pinkie’s heads are visible at a lower level. Students from all social groups respond with dull cheers and applause that would be more appropriate coming from an audience of crystal zombies.
“Since the Games only happen every four years, I’m sure you’re all curious what goes on!” Celestia smilled
Jay stands up in the bleachers and cups his hands to his mouth to make sure his words come through clearly, while everyone else frantically shakes their head no.
“I HEARD YOU GUYS LOSE A LOT!” Jay yelled as the two sisters shot a look at him and Cole facepalmed.
“I MEAN HE WAS SAYING WHAT WE WERE ALL THINKING!” Flash backed him up,
Celestia sighed. “And that is exactly why I’ve asked Rainbow, and one of our new students, Kai, to come up and give you all a little… um… context.”
She hands the mic off to Rainbow as the two students come up to the stage.
“Thank you, Principal Celestia. I know a lot of you might think there’s no way we can beat a fancy school like Crystal Prep at anything.” Rainbow started.
“UNLESS IT’S A “LOSING TO CRYSTAL PREP” COMPETITION, ’CAUSE WE’RE REEEEEEALLY GOOD AT THAT!” Pinkie shouted.
Rainbow groaned. “And I know that CHS has never won the Friendship Games even once.”
“Oh, dear. I hope this speech isn’t meant to be motivational.” Rarity whispered to Sunset.
“Apparently, you guys aren’t the best at winning and well!” Kai started while Rainbow continued.
“Crystal Prep students are super-athletic, super-smart, and super-motivated. But there’s one thing they aren’t. They aren’t Wondercolts! And they don’t have our Ninja!” She pointed off to the other teens in the stands.
The stage lights dim as the curtain opens to reveal a row of seven students in band uniforms, marking time and playing instruments under the spotlights that pick them out. Trombone, snare drum, trumpet, baton-carrying majorette, bass drum, sousaphone, flute.
Rainbow: We’ve fought magic more than once and come out on top
Band: Oh-h
Rainbow: There’s other schools, but none can make those claims
Band: Na, na, na-na-na, oh
Kai: Together we are Canterlot, come and cheer our name
Band: Oh-h
Kai: This will be our year to win these Games
They jump off the stage and begins to march through the crowd, followed by the band members.
Rainbow, Kai, Band: We’ll always be Wondercolts forever
And now our time has finally arrived
They peel off to alternating sides of the gym.
’Cause we believe in the magic of friendship
DJ P0N-3, in the bleachers, yanks up a cord from foot level and plugs it into the mobile deck on her lap. A surge of pale blue power races away along it.
And you know at the end of the day, it is we who survive
The surge reaches an overhead speaker and brings it to thundering life, sending out a wave of electricity that washes out the screen.
The view clears to show a sound signal dancing on a screen; this in turn becomes a burst of energy, from which a 13-colored rainbow streaks upward. Its hues are the signature colors of the original five Rainbooms, plus Princess Twilight’s violet and Sunset’s red, and the ninja’s colors. The spectrum becomes a fader control on DJ P0N-3’s rig, which slides up to maximum in an extreme close-up and sends a blast of juice over to one of the turntables as she sets it spinning. The view dissolves to a close-up of two blue shako—cylindrical cap—that is part of a band uniform, lowered to present its crown to the camera. The wearers are Rainbow and Kai, who are standing side by side and lifts their heads as the camera zooms out quickly to frame the two standing in front of the bleachers. Two three-by-three sets of giant flash cards are being held up to show the school’s C-horseshoe logo.
Rainbow: [Hey!] We’re not the school we were before [Before!]
Yeah, we’re different now [Hey, hey!]
Band: Oh-!
The cards next to Rainbow are flipped to show a picture of Sunset in her demon form and the tiara that held the Element of Magic at the time.
Rainbow: We overcame the obstacles we faced
Now the ones next to Kai flip to reveal the reptilian form of the Sirens, and the six ninja who arrived out the portal.
Band: Overcame the obstacles we faced
The students’ school spirit is beginning to perk up quite a bit now.
Kai: [Hey!] We’re Canterlot united [Unite!]
We’ll never bow [Hey, hey!] Band: Oh-h
Kai: So get ready to see us in first place
They fling the shako across the gym; a dissolve turns it into a baton, which drops into the majorette’s upraised hand. At her gesture, the other band members throw blue/yellow Wondercolt ears and tails into the crowd, along with ninja headbands, due to Kai. and the first two to catch the items are quick to put them on.
Rainbow, Kai, Students: We’ll always be Wondercolts forever [Three, two one, go!]
Two pairs of ears and bands tumble down the screen; behind them, the view wipes to several other students donning them, including Scootaloo.
And now our time has finally arrived [Our time is now!]
Rainbow puts a set on Trixie’s head, getting a smile, and the rest of the Rainbooms beam at the outcome.
’Cause we believe in the magic of friendship [oh-h, oh]
She and Kai lean toward each other, then turn to stand shoulder to shoulder.
And you know at the end of the day, it is we who survive
Zoom out slowly, then faster, to frame first the rest of the band and then the entire gym.
At the end of the day, it is we who survive
Students: Na, na, na-na, na-na
Rainbow, Students: Wondercolts united together
Students: Na, na, na-na, na-na
Up onstage, Celestia claps along and Luna taps a foot, having put away her clipboard. Photo Finish stands up to snap a picture of the spectacle.
Kai, Students: Wondercolts united forever
Rainbow and Kai lead the band on another march through the throng. The previous lines are sung as background, two of theirs to one of theirs—first two, last two, first two.
Rainbow, Kai: We’ll always be Wondercolts forever
And now our time has finally arrived
Having reached the edge of the stage, they hop back up onto it.
’Cause we believe in the magic of friendship
A familiar glow surrounds the two’s forms, and their pony ears/tail/wings materialize—they has “ponied up,” as they call it.
Rainbow, Kai, Students: And you know at the end of the day, it is we who survive
Their friends are surprised and elated at this new development. With the band now onstage, the majorette gestures to the players on one side, then the other, and tosses her baton high overhead. Kai launches Rainbow in the air with his spinjitzu and boosts up to her.
At the end of the day, it is we who surviveeee
The winged teens catch the baton at the top of its flight, setting off a round of wild cheering and applause among the student body. Dissolve to them, standing backstage and with their transformations reversed, and no longer holding the baton. She throws a wink and a thumbs-up to the majorette out on the floor
“Well, Miss Dash, I’d say that was a success.” Kai smirked behind her. “Couldn’t have done it without you hot-shot.” She slugged the red skinned boy in the arm.
“Yeah, we do make a pretty great team.” Kai chuckled, as they both looked at each other and blushed. As if they were being controlled, their faces started to move forward until they were interrupted by their friends.
“Save the love stuff for later you two!” Cole laughed towards them as they quickly stood straight to face their friends, Kai’s face turning redder than usual, and pink painting itself across Rainbow.
“Oh, Rainbow Dash, that was amazing! Even I feel like we can win!” Fluttershy complimented. “I feel like my school pride is at an all-time high!” Rarity added. “I’m just hearing of the games today and I’m already ready to win!” Jay shouted.
“Is anybody else wonderin’ how Dash and Kai ponied up without playin’ their guitars?” Applejack pretended to play a riff. “I know right? It’s probably because we’re awesome!” Rainbow slung an arm around the boy. “Yeah! It felt so good to use spinjitzu again! And now I don’t need to use an instrument in order to use it!” Kai nodded.
“Maybe… I mean you guys are awesome, but there’s gotta be more to it than that right? It just seems so random.” Sunset pondered. “I agree… we were only allowed to unlock our powers by connecting to the energy of this world, which is by playing music, but now can we do it without it? It could speak dangers for people who live here if others cross into here from our world with bad intentions.” Lloyd explained.
The voice that cuts in catches him off guard; on the start of the next line, the camera tracks slightly around to bring Luna into view, standing directly behind him.
“Well, it would be nice if you all could get a handle on it. We’d like to keep magic and powers as far away from the Friendship Games as possible. We don’t want to be accused of cheating,” Luna said.
“You have six martial artists on your team that used to fight world destroying bad guys, isn’t that kind of cheating?” Jay questioned. “Shut up Jay!” Kai punched him in the shoulder.
“I’ve already thought of that. Don’t show off and they won’t know you’re ninja from another realm… Kai.” Kai put his hands in the air as a gesture to say “What did I do?” As Luna spoke.
“Please, just keep powers away from the games.”
Cut to Fluttershy/Pinkie/Sunset/Lloyd/Zane, worry and bemusement showing in various proportions on the three faces, and pan/zoom out to frame all twelve on the start of the following.
“We don’t need magic to defeat those hoity-toity Crystal Preppers.” Rarity assured. Nya put an arm on the girls shoulder. “Right! We’ve got this! It’s not like we haven’t been in a tournament with no powers before,”
The other ninja shudder as they recall back to the tournament of elements.
“Still, the Friendship Games are serious business. We don’t want any surprises, especially the kind that could cause us to forfeit. Sunset Shimmer, Lloyd, you both came here from a world of magic. Perhaps you can get to the bottom of our magical development.”
“You got it, Vice Luna.” Lloyd finger gunned at her. “We’ll do our best.” Sunset smiled as Luna nodded and walked off.
Okay. Anybody have any guesses what the events are gonna be?” Rainbow asked as Here comes Pinkie, a pie in one hand.
“Pie eating?” She pulls a cake from her hair next. “Cake eating?” She lets out a big gasp. “Pie-cake eating?!?” She smashes the desserts together, splattering them both as Cole frowns at the waste but then shrugs and licks the cake off his fingers that landed on him.
“They won’t even let us see what they’re doin’ to the field. You’d think they’d at least tell competitors what they’re competing in.” Applejack complained. “It could be anything.” Fluttershy said.
“I am made for all things, so anything will not be a problem for me.” Zane smiled as Kai facepalmed. “You can’t do robot stuff either, Zane. I don’t think crystal nerds or whatever they’re called would like that CHS has a whole nindroid on their side.” Zane nodded in agreement.
“How will I ever pick the right outfit!” Rarity exasperated, shocked.
“I really want to help, but I think I better go focus on figuring out why Dash and Kai ponied up, see you later! Come on Lloyd!” She grabbed his arm and headed for the door.
“Seems like she’s got everything under control. Nothing to worry about!” Pinkie smiled.
Jay brought up a new topic. “Can we not call it pony up? Like what about something like super ups or ninja ups or power ups, or-”
“SHUT UP JAY!” He was immediately cut off by his annoyed friends as he groaned. “I thought WE LEFT THIS BEHIND!”
Cut to the library rotunda. Sunset sits near the far wall, at a table piled with books; zoom in slowly on her, then cut to just behind her chair. She has filled several sheets with notes, which she regards with obvious frustration and disgust before sweeping them aside with a groan. Lloyd has put his head down with his hair in a frizzy. Despite this world being connected to Ninjago, it was like it didn’t even exist! After a moment hunched down over the table, hands pressed to temples and elbows supporting her weight, she straightens up with a sigh and retrieves her journal and pen from the mess. A moment’s thought, and she begins to write; zoom in slowly.
“Hey, Twilight. Haven’t heard back from you yet. I guess you must be pretty busy with your role as Princess, but I could really use your advice right now. You see, I’ve been given the job of keeping magic under control here at CHS, even though I still haven’t quite wrapped my head around it.” (Longer shot; slow pan.) “And now, after seeing Rainbow Dash pony up the way she did, it makes me think our magic might be…changing. Everyone is looking to me to figure things out—” (Close-up.) “—and I really don’t want to let them down, but I’m not sure I have enough experience with friendship magic to solve this.”
She paused for a while, only to revive nothing in return
“No response huh?” Lloyd sighed as she nodded sadly. “Yeah… nothing from Master Wu either, the way he wasn’t answering you’d think Ninjago was falling apart at the moment.” Lloyd chuckled as Sunset smiled a bit at his joke.
“Your friends really look up to you.” She complimented. “Huh? Oh yeah… but in turn, I look up to them… it’s not like I never need help myself. And we really need help.” Lloyd groaned. She paused for a moment and stretched her hand across the table, which Lloyd looked at and smiled, reaching his arm to hers.
Here we are, a long shot of Crystal Prep, zooming in slowly to the sound of a school bell, then cut to a close-up of two legs walking along a hallway inside. Seen from the knees down, they are attired in long purple socks trimmed with pink ruffles, and the feet sport darker-hued loafers with chunky heels and buckles styled as small crystal shields. The feet stop, framed in a longer shot that shows the light violet skin of Twilight’s exposed legs above the socks, and the camera tilts up to reveal the rest of her.
Pleated skirt, reaching about halfway to her knees, in a dark magenta plaid pattern; pale blue shirt with long sleeves that end in broad gray cuffs secured with tiny diamond-shaped buttons; dark purple necktie; book held to chest. She grimaces slightly, the camera cutting to just behind her and tilting up slowly over a hallway full of students. Some converse, some go to their lockers, others walk past, and none take any notice of the bespectacled girl in the middle of the floor.
The girls wear skirts/shoes/socks/shirts like Twilight’s, but with dark purple ribbon bows at the collars; the boys wear light blue dress shirts and dark purple pants/neckties, with shoes that match the girls’ except in the heel height. All wear dark blue belts and magenta blazers, darker than the skirts, with light blue buttons and gray sleeve cuffs. In addition, all of their blazer and cuff buttons are round, and the girls’ blazers have light blue piping. Twilight’s upper-body wear is an exception: vest rather than a blazer, with the same piping and a dark blue outer belt.
In close-up, her glasses slide down her nose; she nudges them up, takes a deep breath, and starts walking again. The first student she passes elbows her roughly aside.
“Excuse me.” She says as another does the same. “Sorry!”
A little bob-and-weave takes her past three more, after which she gets one more elbow from a disdainful Fleur.
“Pardon me!”
She walks gloomily toward the camera as the view fades to black.
Into a slow pan across a desk in her lab: microscope, rack of test tubes, computer whose monitor displays a picture of her dog Spike with his jaws clamped on a dog biscuit. Two more cuts frame the bulletin board, the camera tilting slowly up to catch all of it, then the pooch himself napping on a swivel chair. One ear flicks up at the sound of footsteps, and in no time he is fully awake, panting happily, and jumping down to set the chair spinning and rolling away. He reaches the door and begins to scratch at it just before it is flung open, tossing him aside with a yelp. Twilight enters and walks to the chair, no longer carrying her book. Now one more peculiarity of her uniform can be seen: the buttons on her vest are not round, but diamond-shaped.
“Spike!” She yelled as she sat down. “SPIIIIIIKE!”
To respond to her yelling, he sticks his head up from an overflowing trash can with a cheerful bark and jumps out to climb onto the desk where she now sits.
“There you are.” She laughs as he licks her face and yips. “Okay, okay!” She reaches for her drawer and pulls out a circular device.
“Last night’s field test confirmed it, Spike.”
She tapped it to turn it on and open it.
“With this device, I can track and contain the bizarre energy coming from Canterlot High!” Spike growled as she said this. “I know you didn’t like me going over there, but I just couldn’t wait!”
“And soon I’ll have all the time I need. All of Crystal Prep is gonna be there for the Friendship Games. I just hope all that rivalry nonsense doesn’t get in the way of my research.” Twilight groaned as Spike became interested in a ladybug flying past than whatever Twilight was saying.
“If I can collect enough data on these EM frequencies—I should be able to extrapolate the waveforms to determine their origin! That would practically guarantee my entrance into the Everton Independent Study Program!” Her excitement causes her to fall out of her chair. “Woah!”
There is a knock at the closed door, which swings open to admit this world’s counterpart of Princess Cadence. Her eyes pop as she takes in the tableau of one prone teen genius getting her face licked by one dog amid one scatter of notes. Cut to Twilight, who pushes Spike away.
“Twilight, you know the rules against pets.” Cadence sighs as she pulls Twilight up.
“Well, Spike isn’t a pet, Dean Cadence, he’s the focus of my research project! Human/canine cohabitation—effects and implications.” She held up the dog and tried to explain herself.
“If you say so. But Principal Cinch is highly allergic, so I suggest you put on a clean shirt.” Cadence pulled a loose hair off of Twilight’s shoulder.
“Why?”
“Because she wants to see you.”
“Ooh! Maybe she has news about my application to Everton!” Twilight smiled as Cadence rested a hand on her shoulder. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that. Are you sure that’s what you really want?”
“Why wouldn’t it be? A program that allows me to focus all my attention on my own advanced math and science projects? What a dream come true!” Twilight said ecstatically.
“But there aren’t any classrooms with other students. You’ll be doing everything on your own.”
“That is why it’s called an independent study program.”
“I just don’t want you to miss out on anything, that’s all. Being around other people isn’t a bad thing. Sometimes it’s how you learn the most about yourself.” Cadence reasoned. “I guess…” Twilight responded uncertainly.
“Meet you in Principal Cinch’s office in a few minutes?” She asked as she received a nod from Twilight and walked out.
“What’s she so worried about? Everton is exactly what I need right now.” She sighed and began walking out. “It’s not like I have anything left to learn at crystal prep.”
Outside the lab; she emerges and closes the door behind her, then steels herself for a walk down a mostly-empty hallway, dodging two passersby.)
Twilight: I’ve walked through all these halls before
She turns to look in through the window of a closed classroom door.
I’ve been in and out of every door, whoa
Zoom in on the pane; a math class is in progress.
There’s nothing in this school that I don’t know
Fleur leans into view on the other side and pulls down a shade to block Twilight’s view. The latter’s surprised reflection now appears, and she walks past a nearby trophy case.
In every class my grade’s the best, the highest score on every test
The fingertips she runs over its glass front curl into a fist and pull away.
I think that means it’s time for me to go
I know there’s more that’s out there, and I just haven’t found it yet
smiling
I know there’s more that’s out there, another me I haven’t met
Turning a corner into the lobby, she does a little fancy footwork to stay out of the way of other students on the move.
Twilight: This school is full of people, but still I don’t belong
now standing still; two girls glare at her and she hurries away
They only dream of winning, look at me like something’s wrong
Maybe I’m better off alone
glancing up a staircase, starting to climb it
Will I find what I’m looking for if I just do it on my own?
I know there’s more that’s out there, something to fill this hole inside
She stops on a landing to gaze out the window; cut to outside it and zoom out, framing it in one of the blue crystal towers that flank the front entrance.
I know there’s more that’s out there, and I’m not afraid to try
Back to her, climbing the stairs again.
There’s only so much this school can offer, and I’m not saying that it’s wrong
She reaches a broad rotunda at another landing and leans against a lustrous wall.
But I know there’s more that’s out there, ’cause I’ve been searching all along
Now she steps farther onto the floor, the camera tracking slowly around her.
Twilight: Beyond these rooms, beyond these walls
So much to learn, I can’t see it all
she starts up the next flight of stairs.
There’s something out there calling me
And it’s a mystery that I can’t wait to see
’Cause I know there’s more that’s out there, another place, another way
Reaching the top, she faces a broad closed door flanked by benches and steps toward it.
And I know there’s more that’s out there, and I’ll find out someday
I’ll find out someday…
close-up of the brass knob as she grasps and turns it, revealing a sliver of a very dimly lit space beyond, then to a point a few feet up. The door creaks open to expose a close-up of a single round overhead fixture casting its light almost straight down from a high vaulted ceiling, and a slow tilt down picks out an identical one several yards back. Bookcases and cabinets are set up along the side and back walls, and a high bookshelf runs the full circuit of the room. The farther of the two lights shines on an imposing desk; an ornate, high-backed chair is placed behind this, its back to the camera, and each far corner of the room sports a pillar topped by a brass spheroid set with a mosaic of blue crystal pieces.
Cut to inside this room, the camera pointing out at a very nervous Twilight. Cadence stands off to the side opposite the door, in front of a group of shelves loaded with plaques and trophies, and two more pillars with the odd brass/crystal creations are placed in these two corners. Twilight hesitantly steps across the empty expanse of floor, the camera zooming out slightly to frame the front edge of the desk and a sliver of a figure seated in the chair. Blue-clad shoulder, multi-toned purple hair arranged in a bun at the nape of the neck.
The teen sits herself on a stool in front of the desk, whereupon the camera cuts to the door as it is pushed shut by a figure concealed behind it. This one is male, with blue eyes in a white face and slightly unruly, three-tone blue hair—the human version of Shining Armor.
“Shining Armor? Why is my brother here?” Twilight stared, confused. “As an alumni, Principal Cinch thought he could provide some unique perspective.” Cadence explained.
“Perspective on what?”
The chair swivels to present all of the figure sitting in it, Abacus Cinch, as the camera zooms in. Older woman; very pale blue skin; hair carefully arranged; dangling pearl earrings; pale pink-violet eyes with pale lavender shadow, behind half-moon glasses; beauty mark on left cheek; purple blazer with lapels and diamond-shaped buttons in lighter hues; medium blue, high-collared blouse; deep red lipstick. Resting her elbows on her desk, she holds her hands folded at throat level. Her face is set in a patrician expression of aristocratic haughtiness, accented by one raised eyebrow, and her voice is a perfect match for it, with an occasional roll on the R’s.
“Why, the Friendship Games, of course.” The woman said. She stands up to speak to Shining. “You competed in the Games, did you not, Shining Armor?”
“I did.”
“And do you happen to recall who won?” Chinch asked. “Crystal Prep did. We always win.” He chuckled.
“We always win.” Cinch began to pace around the room. “Why did you call me?” Twilight asked. Now the principal has circled around to a group of trophies on display at a side wall.
“Twilight, I’ll be honest. It doesn’t matter whether or not Crystal Prep wins or loses.” She plucked a trophy from the shelf and up comes a cloth, which she rubs over the surface until it reflects her severe countenance.
“The important thing is that we are expected to win because Crystal Prep has a reputation.” She puts the trophy back up and walks to Twilight, leaning down to her.
“And it is that reputation…my reputation—that is responsible for everything we have here. For everything you’ve done here. And you’ve done quite a lot, haven’t you?”
“I don't know… I guess,” Twilight responded nervously. “Oh don’t be modest. You’re the best student this school has ever seen. What I can’t understand is why my best student wouldn’t want to compete.” Cinch returned to her desk. “In the Friendship Games?”
“Look, Twilie. I know it’s not really your thing, but representing the school is kind of a big deal. Plus, they could really use your help.” Shining explained.
“It seems Canterlot High is undergoing something of a renaissance. Test scores are up, grades, even athletics are on the rise.” Cinch began. “And new students applied there during a little event they had… these new students have some of the best records I’ve ever seen!” She gasped at the records.
“One of them has already developed a flying car? 80-0 in one on one soccer, in 1 quarter? It’s almost like these students are from a different world. You see, they are developing somewhat of a reputation. This cannot happen!”
“Principal Cinch, I can’t possibly participate in the Games! My work here is very—” Twilight began, which Cinch cut her off. “Ah, yes. Your work. Cadence, could you and Shining Armor find my contact sheet for the Everton Independent Study Program?”
“Of course.” Shining opens the door, lets her exit first, then follows her out and pulls it shut.
“I understand you’ve applied.” She snaps her fingers.
Out of the darkness comes a boy with black hair and a green streak, his skin is ghost green and he wears the male crystal prep outfit, while on the other side of Cinch comes a girl with black skin and white hair tied into a bun, with the female outfit and an evil grin on her face. You already know who these two are….
“Morro? Harumi?” Twilight looked at the two of them, shocked. “What are you doing here?”
Chinch brings up a file folder from another drawer and assumes the smug manner of someone who has an adversary backed into a corner.
“You see, one of the advantages of having a reputation is a certain amount of influence in such things. So, let me offer you a deal. In return for contributing your agile mind to these Games I will use my influence to guarantee your application is approved.”
“But Twilight, do you know who owns Everton?” Harumi spoke up, hand on her hip.
“Y-your father?” Twilight answered.
“Right. So I suppose, we could just, you know, deny it.” Harumi smirked.
It was then Morro’s time to speak. “You see, I was able to convince Aunt Cinch to let Canterlot have 12 students move on… while it may look like a benefit for them, it’s more for us, as too many members will slow them down.”
“Until I snuck into Canterlot High and saw this.” Harumi pulled out her phone and shoved a video into Twilight’s face.
It showed Kai skillfully kicking the ball in ways that hadn’t even been seen before. Kicking it into the air and flipping to kick it straight into the goal.
“It’s like they’re ninja, or CHS figured out how to make super humans.” Harumi rolled her eyes. “Some of them are insanely smart too, which is why we need you.”
“We’ve already got 11 other people to get with them, so you should really join, or… say goodbye to Everton.” Morro Smiled. However, it wasn’t a warm smile. More of an evil one.
Twilight kneels on the floor, gathering papers and loading them into a backpack while Spike sits nearby. An athletic jersey lies among the disorder; when she picks it up, the little canine snatches the tail in his jaws and pulls at it with a growl.
“Come on, Spike! I was always gonna go to Canterlot High for the Friendship Games! The only difference now is that I have to compete. Besides, it’s not like Principal Cinch gave me much of a choice.” Twilight took back the backpack, letting it fly into her face.
Spike gives a piteous little whimper and lies down, earning a consoling pat on the head. This brings him up off the floor with a panting smile.
“I know, Spike. I don’t like it either. I probably won’t be able to collect anywhere near as much data as I thought.” Twilight sighed as she scratched his chin. She then picked up her device, letting a small smile grow on her face.
“But maybe I can still get some.”
A second later, she has run a cord through the hole cut in the hinge and knotted it around her neck as an oversized pendant. Spike whimpers again.
“Spike, I wouldn’t leave without you!” She opened the backpack and stiffened him in. “Just remember to be quiet, and try not to shed.”
Zipping and shouldering the bag, she strides out of the lab and closes the door behind herself. Dissolve to the parking lot just outside the front entrance of Crystal Prep; she walks out toward two buses parked here. Six female students stand lined up at the doors of one of them, along with Cadence, and two men in school colors are at the other. A close-up of the first bus picks out Cadence by the doors, clipboard in hand, and the first few students in line as Twilight approaches. All are framed from the knees up. One girl is Fleur, checking her cell phone.
Another is Sunny Flare: light blue-gray skin; red-violet eyes with dark blue shadow; short, medium violet hair shot through with lighter pink-violet streaks and cut/clipped back in a slope to hang past her cheeks and ride high on the back of her head; orange/yellow sunburst hair clip; dour expression.
The third is Sour Sweet: light yellow skin; freckles; blue-violet eyes with green shadow; long, deep pink hair with streaks of lighter pink and gray-green tied in a high ponytail; bored expression. She wears a vest instead of a blazer, in a slightly different design from Twilight’s, and her shirt has short sleeves without gray cuffs and is not tucked in.
The fourth is Aspheera, grey blue skin with fire orange hair going to her shoulders, snarky expression. She wears the same thing that Sour wears and carries a rolled up piece of paper on her waist.
Twilight walks right past all four of them and up to Cadence. Behind the group, the side of the bus displays a cluster of dark purple diamonds trailing yellow streaks; the largest of these contains a winged magenta S whose ends trail off into lightning bolts—the Shadowbolt logo.
“Dean Cadence? I’m not really sure where to go.” Twilight said as Sour gaped behind her, Sunny glared, and Aspheera put a hand to her chest.
“One second Twilight.” Cadence walked off before answering.
“You could try the end of the line.” Sour said snarkly. “Should have been her first idea since she’s so smart.” Aspheera underhand fived Sour and Sunny after adding her remark.
“What did you say?” Twilight turned around as she pushed her glasses up from slipping.
“Just that someone as smart as you should definitely go first!” Sour responded with fake sweetness as Sunny and Aspheera snickered in the back.
“I…I didn’t mean to. I was just asking.” Twilight stuttered as Cadence returned. “This is the right bus Twilight. Go ahead.”
“But… I didn’t mean to cut in front.” Twilight sighed as Aspheera rolled her eyes and Sour let off a scoff. “Well, it’s too late now.”
Sunny adds her own facial measure of contempt as Twilight steps through the doors. She has not even made it up to the driver’s seat before another two faces thrust themselves toward hers from the front seats. The first one has Pale cream-colored skin; orange-brown eyes; swept-back, shoulder-length dark blue hair with streaks in lighter blue and blue-green; multiple ear piercings, including gold lightning-bolt earrings; round-lensed goggles propped on forehead. This is Indigo Zap, whose voice carries a grating, fierce enthusiasm.
The boy next to her has a dark toned colored skin, red eyes and messy white hair with purple streaks in them, along with two laser earrings and goggles with one of the lenses looking like a laser as well, despite just being magnifying goggles. This is Cryptor, a boastful, arrogant student of Crystal prep.
As they lean forward during the following exchange, the motion exposes the cardigan she wears instead of a blazer, rolled-up sleeves, an unbuttoned and turned-up shirt collar, gray wristbands with dark blue lightning bolts, and a half-untied collar bow. The boy wears a jacket with the medals he won for robotic creation at school.
“Are we gonna win?!?” Indigo yelled in her face.
“I-I don’t know.” Twilight stuttered.
“Wrong answer! Try again!” She corrected.
“She said, are we gonna win!?” Cryptor leaned closer and repeated Indigo’s words.
“Um…I guess? I-It’s just…I mean, I heard that CHS is doing well now, with their reputation, and, I mean…it’s not better than ours, of course. But we can’t let them do it, you know? Win, I mean? Right?” Twilight explained nervously.
(Another cut to her perspective picks out a bus half-filled with students who are giving her their own versions of the old hairy eyeball. Among them are human versions of Jet Set, Suri Polomare, Trenderhoof, and Upper Crust. Eyes are rolled, glasses adjusted, and Indigo throws in a gesture and a tiny head shake that might best be translated as “where did they dig her up?” Back to Twilight; now the bus driver sits down behind the wheel and regards her irascibly.
“The correct answer was yes.” Cryptor facepalmed and shook his head.
“You’re gonna have to take a seat!” The driver yelled.
She starts off down the aisle; cut to her perspective yet again. One student after another blocks her access to the empty seats by either shifting toward the aisle seat or setting a bag in it. As she closes in on the back row, the camera cuts to these seats and she removes her backpack so she can sit down opposite a bored-looking girl with light blue-violet skin, violet eyes behind orange-framed glasses, and two-tone pale blue hair gathered into two long pigtails that extend to either side from behind her head. She wears a cardigan marked with the same lightning-bolt crest as Sunny’s blazer, and her sleeve cuffs are not as broad as Twilight’s and are patterned differently. This is Sugarcoat.
“Hi, Sugarcoat.” Twilight gestured to her.
The latter speaks in a rapid-fire cadence and a matter-of-fact tone, turning her head just enough to reveal a bright pink barrette shaped as a piled-high measuring spoon.
“That was a really bad speech. You should consider not speaking in public.” Sugarcoat deadpanned. Twilight frowned and turned to the boy in the seat next to her.
He had brown hair in a flat top and almost copper skin, with red eyes and a straight face. His clothes were the same as cryptor’s with red and black highlights. This was Mystery, Harumi’s adopted brother.
“Hi Mystery! How’s everything?” Twilight asked. The boy didn’t respond and just let out a smile. “You know he doesn’t talk right. Everyone knows that.” Sugarcoat added.
As the bus engine revs up, Twilight smiles to herself and opens her pack; cut to her perspective, with Spike putting his head out.
“Well, Spike, at least I’ve got you with me.”
A faint blare of rock music causes him to glance off to one side with a whimper. Cut to a close-up of a girl in another seat, Lemon Zest. Light reddish-pink skin; very pale yellow-brown eyes with light blue-violet shadow; long, unruly hair in three shades of yellow-green; short-sleeved shirt/blazer with unbuttoned, turned-up shirt collar; headphones marked with slices of pie over ears—the source of the disturbance. Her voice carries a tone of raucous, abrasive cheer.
“Dude! You have gotta hear this!” Zest yelled.
On the end of this line, she leans over Twilight and transfers the phones to the violet ears. Now the music comes through all too loud and clear, prompting her to shudder and moan softly with one eye squinched shut against the assault. Zest and another white haired boy by the name of Unagami cheer Twilight on. The bus starts to move; cut to behind it as it rumbles toward the street.
Dissolve to an overhead shot of Canterlot High, zooming in slowly as Zest’s raucous track is replaced by a different rock beat. In a music practice room, where the Rainbooms are running through a song. All twelve have ponied up, but the extra features disappear as the final chord dies away. Rainbow stands up from the kneeling position she has assumed
“I hope the Friendship Games have a music competition, because we would totally rock it!” Rainbow said as she hit a chord at the end of this.
“You said it Rainbow! Sending the crowd flying with a boom would be so awesome!” Cole high-fived the girl as Sunset sighed.
“Um, we’re supposed to keep magic and elemental powers out of the Friendship Games, remember?”
“Plus, we still don’t know the extent of our powers here, so no using them to show off. We have to stay focused and not mess around, with magic or powers.” Lloyd added.
Rainbow rolls her eyes and sighs wearily. Cut to an extreme close-up of Rarity’s face, reflected in the mirror of her open compact; she is touching up her makeup.
“Easier said than done, darling. I’m sure in Equestria and Ninjago, powers and magic do whatever you want. But…” Rarity closed the compact.
“…this isn’t Equestria or Ninjago.” Sunset said as she paced with her instrument put away.
Applejack and Fluttershy have put away their own instruments, and Rainbow is returning her guitar to its case.
“Well, when it comes to magic, I’m sure you guys will figure it out.” Applejack patted both of their shoulder.
“And while Sunset works on keeping the magic out of the Games, Nya and I have been working on what to put in!” Rarity and Nya grin at each others.
“I noticed you two had been hanging out a lot more recently… what did you guys do…” Kai facepalmed.
A rack of clothes is shoved into view before Sunset in Fluttershy. Half of them are athletic outfits in school colors; the rest are dresses and suits in a variety of other styles.
“Well we had a little time on our hands, and since we don’t know what the Friendship Games events are…” Rarity grinned hugely.
During this line, more racks are pushed over to Pinkie and Jay at their drum kits, who push their heads through and then to Rainbow, who has now squared her six-string away. Here, the prolific designer shoves aside the hangers from behind and squeezes through with a blue/white/yellow jersey/shorts combo.
“We made a few options for uniforms!” Nya said to the rest. “Rarity gave me a newfound love for making things besides vehicles, but there are a few surprises in each fit!”
She shoves the lot down over Rainbow’s head, instantly replacing her usual threads and even switching out the athletic boots with dark blue knee socks. The athlete is very much caught out at the quick change.
“You guys really didn’t have to do that.” Rainbow said.
“We know!” Rarity exclaimed.
“No seriously….” Cole started as he was put in a spacesuit, standing next to Fluttershy and Sunset, who puzzle over the other racks and Pinkie stands behind them in a wizard’s robe and starry hat and a fake pink beard.
“You guys really didn’t have to.”
“We know!” Nya took the line this time. She laughs with Rarity as they both fit their friends into each outfit.
One of the Crystal Prep buses is parked at the curb of Canterlot High, and Luna stands in front of it on the grass. A cut to the sidewalk frames Celestia and Abacus here as well. Seen from head to toe for the first time, the primly dressed principal wears magenta stockings and purple pumps that match her skirt, accented by light blue straps across the toes.
“Vice-Principal Luna can help your students get settled, if you’d like me to show you around, Principal Cinch. There have been quite a few changes since your last visit.” Celestia smiled.
“Oh, yes, Principal Celestia. I’m sure that would be fascinating.” Cinch responded with slight interest, more wanting to see what type of facilities they were using for a student to pull off what happened in that video.
The Students are stepping out the open bus doors and Luna and Cadence share a warm embrace. The dean no longer carries the clipboard she had when checking everyone onto the bus.
“Oh, it’s always such a pleasure to see you, Dean Cadence—even if it means another defeat.” Luna grimaced.
“Thank you, Vice-Principal Luna. But I hear it’s not going to be so easy this time. There’s a rumor going around that some of your students act like superhumans.” Cadence chuckled. “Ah, well, some of them are just really athletic.” Luna smiled nervously as they walked off.
Only now does Twilight put her head out through the doorway, her backpack slung up and closed and no longer wearing Zest’s headphones. After a tentative flick of the eyes back and forth, she draws herself up, adjusts her glasses—and promptly gets shoved aside from behind by the pumped-up Indigo. Her knee socks have puddled around her ankles, and she has eschewed the standard shoes in favor of dark purple combat boots decorated with blue bows and lightning bolts. In addition, the hem of her cardigan has a slightly different cut from Sugarcoat’s.
“Comin’ through”
“Snooze ya lose!”
Twilight loses her balance after being knocked by both Indigo and Cryptor, and topples off the steps, taking the nearby Sunny down with her. This shot brings the latter’s footwear into view—the usual chunky-heeled loafers, but the socks are only ankle-length instead of going to the knee—and the dark blue patches on both sleeve cuffs, not just the right. Standing next to Sunny are Sour and Asphera, whose standard loafers have had their shield buckles replaced by bows and hearts while Ashpeera’s are fire and a staff. As she stares in surprise, the three fallen girls sit up back to back; Twilight adjusts her glasses again and Sunny rounds on her.
“Seriously?” Sunny glared.
“Oh, sorry! I didn’t mean to.” Twilight apologized as she Sunny walked off. Sighing at the girl’s response, she stands up and very nearly gets run into by Sour.
“Oh, sorry. Why don’t you go ahead?”
“You are such a sweetie! I am watching you!” Sour’s sweet time quickly changed to a more viscous one as Aspheera snaked around her. “And when we find something out, we will have our revenge!”
Away they go to join the others. Twilight starts to walk toward them, but Zest and Unagami bound out to the doorway, inadvertently cutting her off. Her blazer is now seen to have two lightning-bolt crests low in front, and she has the standard shoes and socks and is wearing her blaring headphones again. She mimes playing guitar, adding a round of enthusiastic grunts and laughs with a “yeah” and a scream mixed in, and charges off while throwing a set of bullhorns with one hand. Unagami plays a game on his phone while he nods his head to the music from the game. Behind her comes the blasé Sugarcoat, who wears ankle-length socks and dark purple tights under a skirt that is rather shorter than those of the other girls.
“You are kinda being a doormat right now.” Sugarcoat told her as she walked off as well. Mystery followed behind her and gave Twilight a thumbs up. For a guy who didn’t talk, he sure was the nicest one.
As he too walks away, the lone violet girl gets a surprise when the high-tech pendant around her neck winks to life, its perimeter strobe indicating the general direction of the school. She lifts it for a closer look and, after a quick glance around herself, aims it toward the building. The indicator is pointing directly at the front entrance as she lowers the device—then back to her. Making very sure that no one else is paying her the slightest mind, she grins and jogs toward the doors, Spike putting his head up from her backpack. As she climbs the front steps, Bon Bon and Lyra—stop on the way down.
“Hi, Twilight.”
Not even the slightest break in stride; she becomes puzzled and Lyra shrugs. Cut to inside the lobby; one door opens and Twilight steps in, eyes fixed on her detector. She moves into one of the hallways, passing a green-haired rocker girl.
“Hey, Twilight!”
This time, the budding scientist does pause her steps for just a moment, one eyebrow lowering in mild befuddlement. She continues on her way, encountering a few other students going the other direction.
“Hi, Twilight. Hi, Twilight. Hey, you! Looking good! Hey! What’s happening? Really nice to see you. Twilight! How you doing? Twilight! Yo!”
“Hi! Hello. Uh…good.”
As Twilight continues her awkward reverse perambulation, she collides with Flash, sending herself, him, and the cased guitar he carries to the floor. The impact knocks her glasses off to land nearby.
“Twilight? I almost didn’t recognize you.” The Kai sounding boy helped her up.
She, on the other hand, shifts into the classic squint and hands-extended grope of a person in search of missing corrective lenses. One hand finds its way to the fabric of his T-shirt by chance; he glances toward floor level,
“When did you start wearing glasses?” He asked as he picked them up. “Um, like, since forever.” She chuckled.
“Oh! So how long are you here for?” Flash asked. “Just for the friendship games.” Twilight responded
“Right! Of course! We’ll totally win with you here.” He pur her glasses towards her face.
In her perspective on the end of this, framing his face as a blur of blue and pastel yellow-tan that slowly comes into focus as he settles the lenses in place. Then her detector is picking up something again.
“Uhh… I gotta go!” She zooms off towards the right, leaving Flash standing there puzzled. “Uh, okay! Bye?”
Flash groans quietly, covering his face with his hands, as Derpy Hooves walks up behind him and gives him a “there, there” pat on the shoulder.
With the Main 12 in the practice room, all having changed into some rather unorthodox outfits. Fluttershy: hockey goalie in full padding and helmet decorated with butterflies and flowers, holding the special stick used by players in that position. Pinkie: cowgirl dress/hat/boots, sitting on the piano. Rainbow: the classic long, dark blue tunic of a British police officer, with black pants, white dress shirt, and black necktie; she holds a nightstick. Jay: Chef outfit complete with apron and white chef hat. Lloyd: Soccer shirt along with pads and cleats, all with a line of green on them.
Rarity zips into view to take a measurement on Fluttershy and plunk a round-crowned helmet, decorated with a checkered band and gold star/wings, onto Rainbow’s head. Sunset stands a bit farther back, garbed in a long shirt and pants in two shades of blue and wearing a welder’s mask, protective gloves, and work boots.
Applejack is suited up to play jai alai, including a wicker “cesta” basket for catching the ball and an apple-decorated helmet in place of her hat. Her jersey has ridden up slightly to expose a patch of midriff, but Nya tugs at the hem to cover it up.
“Uh, Rarity, Nya, these outfits are great, but why would you put so much time and effort into clothes we might not even wear?” Applejack questioned.
“You’re gonna exhaust yourself before the Games even start!”
“Don’t be silly, darling.” Rarity sputtered in disbelief. “We never get tired, and plus.
“Putting effort into clothes is what I live for…”
“And spending time on our friends fills us with energy!l” Nya finishes for her. On this last word, the two rise into the air and pony up without any warning. A circle of water surrounds Nya as they both strike joyful midair poses.
Each of the group watch in awe and Sunset raises her mask, smiling glumly. “And magic powers too, I guess.” She says as Lloyd facepalms and groans at the end of this.
Twilight holds the detector in her hands as she roams the school. The direction finder begins to zero in on a heading; once it gets a lock, the device snaps open and circular panels in both halves begin to glow magenta. Twilight stops short, her glasses sliding down and getting a quick tweak; and inside the practice room and zoom in slowly on Rarity and Nya. A streamer of purple and water blue energy is now wafting from their backs and through the slit between the not-quite-closed double doors; out in the hallway, it wavers for a bit before being drawn into the detector. The two girl’s gusto and aura fade away and sink back to the floor, slumping on their feet.
“Actually, Applejack, now that you mention it, I suppose I could use a tiny break.” Rarity yawned. “Yeah… maybe that was a little too much.” Nya agreed tiredly.
Applejack and Jay help the two girls from falling over as Applejack scolds them. “I told you two!”
Twilight enters, closing the detector, and finds twelve amazed, smiling faces turned her way.
“TWILIGHT?” The Rainbooms yell. “Uh, yes?” Twilight responds hesitantly.
“Well, I’ll be! You shoulda told us you were comin’!” Applejack said. “Yeah! I have so many stories to tell you about since we’ve been here!” Kai added.
Lloyd stays behind, suspicious of Twilight's strange new appearance. The red/gold-haired girl makes to move closer, relief and elation written all over her face, and grins as she tries to think of what to say. Rarity, however, beats her to it.
“Darling— —those glasses! What are you wearing? It’s so…severe.” Rarity chuckles disgustedly.
“For Crystal Prep. But why does everyone at this school know who I am?”
“Did you just say “Crystal Prep”?” Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “What’s a “Crystal Prep” again?” Jay asked as Kai rolled his eyes.
Spike chooses this moment to break the instant tension by poking his head out of Twilight’s backpack and barking.
“Spike!” Cole instantly goes to pet him along with Rarity and Fluttershy. “You know my dog’s name too?” Twilight recoiled.
“See! I knew something was wrong! Our Twilight doesn’t wear that!” Lloyd shouted from the back as everyone looked at him. “Okay I didn’t know at first it was just an educated guess.” He admitted.
The others have no immediate response, while Celestia and Abacus walk along a hallway, leading towards the practice room.)
“And our music program has especially taken off.” Celestia finishes telling as they stop at the door, pulling in a little gasp as she sees Twilight from behind.
“Twilight?”
“This is getting ridiculous!” Twilight groaned.
“I must aplogize for the curiosity of my prize student.” Cinch crossed over to Twilight. “Your student?” Celestia raised an eyebrow.
“The smart ones are always curious. I’ll return her to check in with the rest of her classmates.” Cinch began to take her away until two other students ran towards her.
“Aunt Cinch! I forgot to tell you- who are they?” Morro and Harumi stopped in front of the door as Lloyd’s eyes widened.
“There’s no way…” Kai whispered. “Hey, those two look awfully a lot like those bad guys from your past!” Pinkie pointed out.
“Morro, Harumi? How did you guys get here?!” Lloyd asked. “Uhhh…. The bus? From the school?” Morro stared at Lloyd with confusion.
“You don’t remember?” Lloyd raised an eyebrow. “Remember what? You’re being kinda weird, save that intimidation stuff for the games.” Harumi butted in. Cinch walked off with the three students on the end of that.
Twelve Rainbooms and one principal stare after the departing squad in total confusion that lasts for some moments before Celestia speaks up.
I didn’t know Twilight had a twin sister, or that you guys had friends from Crystal prep. I thought this was your first time here?”
“She doesn’t! That Twilight is obviously the Twilight from this world, since it couldn’t possibly be the Twilight from the pony world, since the Twilight from the pony world doesn’t go to Crystal Prep or wear glasses! And as for the ninja, since their world is also connected to the pony world, they have duplicates of people from their world in this world as well, which is why they haven’t antagonized the ninja or remember anything!” Pinkie explained in rapid fire.
If Celestia’s mind had slipped out of gear upon first seeing the visitor, this high-speed—and, of course, entirely correct—explanation causes it to belch up its entire transmission.