Make Your Own Magic: Starswirl Do-Over

by Whitney Ralls

  Copyright

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  HASBRO and its logo, MY LITTLE PONY, EQUESTRIA GIRLS and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro and are used with permission. © 2019 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved.

  Cover design by Véronique Lefèvre Sweet.

  Hachette Book Group supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture.

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book without permission is a theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like permission to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), please contact permissions@hbgusa.com. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.

  Little, Brown and Company

  Hachette Book Group

  1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104

  Visit us at LBYR.com

  MLPEG.com

  First Edition: February 2019

  Little, Brown and Company is a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

  The Little, Brown name and logo are trademarks of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

  The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher.

  Library of Congress Control Number 2018951544

  ISBNs: 978-0-316-41910-9 (pbk.), 978-0-316-41911-6 (ebook)

  E3-20181219-JV-NF-ORI

  Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Begin Reading

  “STARSWIRL MUSIC FESTIVAL, WE HAVE ARRIVED!”

  Pinkie Pie’s face is pressed against the window of Rarity’s sparkling glamping RV, looking out at the colorful sea of tents—the festival campground. Laughing, Sunset Shimmer peels Pinkie’s face off the window with a suction sound. Sunset beams. “Just think, Pinkie, in a few short hours we’ll be front row for—”

  “PostCrush, we know!” Applejack finishes Sunset’s sentence for her. “Y’all haven’t stopped talking about them the whole way here.”

  Sunset and Pinkie roll their eyes in unison. “Well, they’re only the greatest pop-rock dance duo in recent-memory-slash-history and this is their huge reunion show, so yeah, we’re gonna be talking about ’em!” Sunset elaborates the way only a superfan can. “Kiwi Lollipop, also known as K-Lo, is the cool one. Her favorite color is holographic purple. Favorite hobby: collecting enamel pins.”

  Pinkie continues, “And Supernova Zap, aka Su-Z, is the zany one! Favorite color: polka dots. Favorite hobby: long walks on the dark side of the moon.”

  Sunset nods. “Name a more iconic duo—I’ll wait!”

  Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Twilight Sparkle just stare at them.

  From the driver’s seat, Rarity pipes up. “Iconic duos? Ruching and draping. Sequins and satin. An old classic with a modern twist. The list goes on! But I’ll spare you the details because”—the RV lurches to a halt—“it’s time to set up camp!”

  Night has fallen, and the atmosphere at the campground is electric. Distant laughter and thumping bass lines float on the air with the scents of fried food and the surrounding trees. At a neighboring campsite, Zephyr Breeze sets up a slackline between two trees and takes a few wobbly steps across it. The Mane Seven huddle around a campfire, toasting marshmallows.

  “What are you guys most excited to do at the festival?” Twilight asks brightly. Without missing a beat, Rainbow Dash and Applejack cover Sunset’s and Pinkie’s mouths, muffling them. “We know what you guys are looking forward to most.”

  Applejack tosses her hat onto a nearby stump. “I’m fixin’ to win some carnival games. There’s a giant stuffed animal with my name on it in there.” She shoots a competitive glance toward Sunset. “Bet you a front-row seat at PostCrush you can’t beat me.”

  Rainbow Dash scoffs. “Carnival games? This is a music festival, my friend. It’s about the bands! Deviant Septum is playing, and their guitarist is the fastest on record! Of course, I’ve personally never been timed, so who’s to say I’m not faster?”

  “Tut-tut!” Rarity chimes in. “What is a festival without fashion? Vintage markets with every poncho, parasol, and platform shoe you could want!”

  Twilight Sparkle adds, “Don’t forget the art installations and food trucks and rides—”

  Sunset can’t hold it back, bursting out, “And PostCrush!”

  “Yes, and PostCrush.” Twilight sighs. “But before then, we’ve got to get a good night’s sleep!”

  Inside the glamping RV, Sunset’s snuggled into her ultra-plush bunk, drifting away to sleep. Pinkie sticks her head down from the bunk above. “I’m too excited to sleep!”

  Sunset smacks her lips, barely awake. “Well, try, Pinkie. In the morning, we’re gonna start the most perfect day ever.”

  Pinkie nods, going back into her bunk. A second later, “Is it morning yet?”

  “No.”

  “How ’bout now? Or now?”

  “No and no.”

  “’Kay, but it’s definitely morning now, right?”

  In unison, the rest of the Mane Seven sound out from the dark: “GO TO SLEEP, PINKIE!”

  A few hours later, Sunset’s eyes blearily open to see Pinkie Pie’s eyes an inch away. “IT’S MORNING!”

  “Yeah, I noticed.” Sunset laughs.

  Rarity twirls, showing off her beaded poncho. “I’ve finally decided on my Starswirl day-one look! Or, wait, should I switch out the wide-brimmed hat for a flower crown? So many festival-ready ensembles, but so little time!”

  Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie is talking a mile a minute. “I can’t believe Starswirl day one is already so much fun, even before we’re inside the festival. Starswirl morning one for the win!”

  Later, under the watchful eye of a serious security guard, the Mane Seven scan their wristbands and head into the festival. Beep! Beep! Beep! They’re in!

  The spectacular wonderland of Starswirl unfolds before them. A giant Star Swirl the Bearded balloon, friends laughing and waving giant inflatable flowers—even a girl on stilts! The Mane Seven’s mouths hang agape.

  “What surprises lie ahead?” Pinkie wonders out loud.

  POOF! A confetti cannon bursts forth, sprinkling them with joy.

  “THERE’S A CONFETTI CANNON?!” Pinkie shrieks.

  Sunset wipes the paper from her eyes, determined. “In just a few short hours, I’ll actually be in the presence of K-Lo and Su-Z, breathing the same air, under the same stars!”

  Pinkie nods. “But until then… the fun of Starswirl day one! What do you wanna do first, Sunset?”

  Sunset furrows her brow. What should she do first? As Rarity would say, there are so many activities, but so little time! Sunset spots some promising art installations nearby, but then a bar overflowing with ice cream and human-size toppings catches her eye. Not to mention that PostCrush has a meet and greet scheduled for this afternoon.

  You decide what Sunset does!

  To check out the festival’s art installations, CLICK HERE.

  To investigate the giant ice-cream bar, CLICK HERE.

  To get PostCrush’s autographs, CLICK HERE.

  SUNSET SHIMMER LEADS PINKIE PIE TOWARD THE ART INSTALLATIONS.…

  The giant balloon of Star Swirl the Bearded looms overhead, tethered to the ground by a big rope in the midst of the art.

  “These installations were specially commissioned for the Starswirl festival! Why not get a well
-rounded dose of culture while we’re here?” Sunset stops to look at an intricate web of brightly colored strings. She nods, appreciating it. Pinkie Pie rises up behind her shoulder, squinting.

  “But what does it mean?” Pinkie asks.

  Sunset considers. “Art is about whatever it makes you feel. This makes me feel as if we’re all connected.” Pinkie’s perturbed, trying to see it from different angles. Sunset moves on to futuristic neon goggles that sit on a pedestal.

  “Care to try the Starswirl virtual-reality experience?” a festival worker asks.

  “Um, only definitely!”

  Sunset pulls on the goggles, and suddenly—

  “I’m flying over Starswirl!” She spreads her arms. “This is amazing and also kind of dizzying! Pinkie, you gotta try this!”

  Nearby, Pinkie is assessing a stack of pink and green boxes. “Hold on, Sunset, I think I’m getting the hang of this whole art thing.” Her eyes narrow. “Hmm, yes. When you don’t believe in yourself, you put yourself in a box.” She wipes away a tear, and then… another festival worker clears away the boxes. They were just boxes, not art!

  Pinkie coughs and moves along. “I mean, nothing, I knew that wasn’t art!” In her rush, she trips over the rope tethering the Star Swirl balloon to the ground. It hooks Pinkie’s ankle and pulls her into the air. Panicking, Pinkie waggles her arms for help. She grabs Sunset Shimmer, who’s still in virtual-reality land.

  “This is amazing! If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear I was really, really… really… Is that a breeze?” Sunset lifts her goggles. “FLYING! Pinkie, what happened?!”

  “ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS APPRECIATE ART!” Pinkie wails. Then she takes a look around. “Hey, at least the view’s pretty good from up here.”

  Sunset also looks down—she’s got a point! “There’s the main stage!” But the balloon floats right over it. “And there it goes. Along with our chance of seeing PostCrush.”

  Pinkie gulps. “Look at the bright side. At least we’ve got a good view of… the trees.” Sunset groans, but Pinkie doubles down.

  “Honestly, I feel bad for our friends back at Starswirl, missing out on all these trees. What are they doing? Seeing cool bands, eating spicy-melon shaved ice, making memories to last a lifetime—boring! I’ll take the trees, thank you very much. Right, Sunset? Oh look, an actual sunset!”

  Sunset’s boiling. She lets out a scream that echoes through the forest.

  It’s nighttime when the balloon finally descends, popping against a treetop. The distant roar of a crowd and music is drowned out by the whooshing air blowing out of the balloon, right into Sunset’s face as she struggles to untangle herself from the ropes. Pinkie giggles nervously. “Well, not quite a perfect night.”

  “Not perfect? You totally ruined it! PostCrush is playing right now, and we’re not going to get to see them! I wish I could do this day over again.” Sunset huffs as she trudges off into the woods, back toward the campground.

  Pinkie Pie runs to catch up with her. “I wish we could do it over again, too.”

  Sunset shakes her head. “Not we. Me. As in, if I could do this day over, I’d do it without you.”

  At a loss, Pinkie slows down. Sunset walks ahead. “I guess I’ll see you back at the RV, then?”

  Sunset shrugs. “Whatever.”

  Sunset looks over her shoulder, a little guilty, but shakes it off and keeps walking, muttering to herself, “All I wanted was one perfect day.”

  She doesn’t see it, but a pulse of purple energy ripples past her. When she finally reaches the RV, she looks back at the trees and sighs, “Tomorrow’s a new day.”

  CLICK HERE.

  “UMMM, MOUNTAINS OF ICE CREAM AND MASSIVE TOPPINGS? SAY NO MORE.”

  Sunset Shimmer struggles with a waist-high ice-cream cone. “I have a feeling we can share one, Pinkie! Want to choose toppings?” Pinkie Pie gawks at a gummy pony the size of her head. Her eyes are as wide as saucers. Sunset waves in front of her eyes. “Uh, Pinkie? Are you here?” Sunset bites her lip, realizing she’s created a monster. “Uh-oh.”

  “T-t-toppings?” Pinkie’s trancelike state turns into a quaking hyperactivity. “Toppings!”

  Pinkie Pie swan-dives into a swimming pool full of sprinkles. A festival worker leans over sheepishly. “Excuse me, miss, but those are food-grade and swimming in them isn’t up to health code.”

  “You can’t stop me from living my dreams!”

  Sunset face-palms. “This can’t be good.”

  Sunset chases Pinkie Pie under a chocolate waterfall, across some lollipop lily pads, and finally corners her at a picket fence of Popsicle sticks. Sunset tries to reason with her. “Pinkie, step away from the cotton candy.”

  Pinkie’s eyes are wide—she’s got sugar fever. “I could spend all day here, Sunset!”

  Sunset checks her watch—it’s getting late! “We already have, Pinkie! PostCrush is about to go onstage. We gotta run!”

  “So let’s run!” Pinkie bolts off, and Sunset tries to follow—but she can’t move! Her feet are stuck in a caramel river. She pulls off her boots and chases after Pinkie, who ducks into a nearby tent. Sunset hears her exclaim, “Giant ice-cream sandwiches?! My life is complete!”

  Sunset rolls her eyes and dives into the tent—colliding with Pinkie!

  “Come on, Pinkie. Let’s—mmph!”

  SPLURCH! Two cookies collide with ice cream, and the next thing Sunset and Pinkie know, they’re stuck together in the middle of a giant ice-cream sandwich. Sunset is resilient, trying to soldier on.

  “Come on, we can still make it to PostCrush!” But she waddles a few steps, and the two fall over flat. Pinkie happily nibbles at the ice cream.

  Sunset sighs. “We’re not making it to PostCrush, are we?”

  Later, at the glamping RV, Sunset glumly washes the goopy melted ice cream out of her hair. Pinkie’s still licking her fingers. “At least tomorrow’s a new day. We can still have fun at Starswirl.”

  “Seriously, Pinkie? I had one chance to see PostCrush, and you blew it for me. Today was supposed to be perfect.”

  “But we still had fun, right?” Pinkie offers. Sunset looks away, irritated.

  “I think I’m gonna take a walk and clear my head.”

  Pinkie sinks as she watches Sunset go.

  In the woods, Sunset looks sadly over her shoulder at the RV. She hears laughter. “I wish I could do this day over again. Without her.” She doesn’t see it, but a pulse of purple energy ripples past her.…

  CLICK HERE.

  THE LINE TO GET POSTCRUSH’S AUTOGRAPHS WRAPS AROUND THE FESTIVAL.

  “But it’s gonna be so totally worth it!” Sunset Shimmer is brimming with excitement, clutching a limited-edition PostCrush tee for them to sign. She takes a slurp of her extra-large frozen lemonade. The rest of the Mane Seven wait with her, a little less eager.

  Fluttershy cranes her neck. “We sure could use a bird’s-eye view. I can’t even see the front of the line!”

  Rainbow Dash cracks her knuckles. “No way to make it move faster, but I can move fast to figure out how close we are!” With that, she zooms down the line and out of sight.

  Rarity chimes in. “Not to worry, darlings, we can simply pass the time by helping me choose accessories for my festival season lookbook!” She tries on different sunglasses. “What do you think of these, Sunset?”

  Sunset starts to speak, but before she can, Rarity answers, “Too square. Too round. Too dark. Not dark enough.” Rarity builds to full panic, trying them on at lightning speed. “Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong!” She gulps. “I’m going to need more sunglasses. Sorry, Sunset—got to run to the vintage market.”

  “That’s o—”

  “Thanks for understanding. Byeee!” Rarity’s already gone.

  “—kay,” finishes Sunset. She takes a slurp of lemonade.

  Rainbow Dash zips up, out of breath. “Listen, I’m not saying this line is long, I’m saying this line is super, super, extra bonkers long. I’d no
rmally be totally down to wait patiently with you guys, but… I’m gonna catch a show instead!” With a quick wave, Rainbow Dash jets off again.

  Fluttershy looks down shyly. “A little birdie told me that she doesn’t actually want to wait in line.” Suddenly, a little birdie really does fly by, tweeting a song. Fluttershy’s eyes go wide. “In fact, that little birdie told me it needs help gathering materials for its nest! I’ll see you later, Sunset!” Fluttershy hurries after the bird.

  Applejack gives Sunset a quick hug. “And I gotta run and wrangle some rope for the rodeo contest.”

  Sunset takes a sip of her lemonade and looks to Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie. “Well, at least the three of us are seizing the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet PostCrush.”

  Twilight checks her watch. “Actually, if my calculations are correct, I have to leave now if I’m going to see the lecture on space-time.”

  “There’s a lecture on space-time at Starswirl Music Festival?”

  “No, it’s online!”

  Sunset sighs as Twilight Sparkle runs off, too. She turns to Pinkie, who gives her a thumbs-up. “Looks as if it’s just you and me!” Sunset slurps the lemonade dry but then realizes she has to use the bathroom! She asks Pinkie to hold their place in line.

  But when Sunset returns, Pinkie is gone! She turns around to see Pinkie walking up with two berry-swirled churros.

  “Pinkie! I thought you were waiting in line for us!”

  “I was! Except it was the food-truck line!”

  Sunset is furious—now they’ll never get to the front of the line to meet PostCrush! The meet and greet is ending! But Pinkie thinks on her feet.

  “Excuse me, mister?” Pinkie Pie taps on the shoulder of a guy working at Puffed Pastry’s famous dessert food truck. “Can we borrow your delivery cart? It’s a pastry emergency!” He nods, and soon Sunset and Pinkie are speeding in the delivery golf cart, chasing down PostCrush’s VIP golf cart! Sunset can see K-Lo and Su-Z just a few feet ahead! Pinkie pumps the gas.