by G. M. Berrow
Applejack was the first to crack. “The Freshman Fair,” she said, a trace of longing in her voice. “Y’all remember?”
Twilight turned to face them. All four were staring at the picture, fighting the urge to smile at the memory. “But something happened. I think that something was Sunset Shimmer.”
“Sunset Shimmer wasn’t the one who ruined my silent auction for the animal shelter by bringing fireworks and noisemakers.” Fluttershy pouted. “It was supposed to be a serious event, and Pinkie ruined it.”
“What are you talking about?” Pinkie looked at Fluttershy like she was crazy. “I got a text from you saying that you didn’t want a silent auction, you wanted a big party!”
“I never sent you a text.” Fluttershy blinked innocently.
Pinkie made a face. “You didn’t?”
After they cleared up that misunderstanding, it soon came out that Pinkie Pie and Rarity had been similarly tricked. Someone had been sending Rarity e-mails using Pinkie’s name. But it was all a lie.
Twilight wasn’t sure what texts and e-mails were, but it certainly seemed like Sunset Shimmer had been causing trouble at Canterlot High for a very long time. All that was about to change, though. And there was just one girl left who needed to know the truth about her friends.
The Definition of a Winner
Rainbow Dash was the only athlete out on the lush, green Canterlot High soccer field. There was no game in progress or anything: She was just in the middle of an intense solo practice. Rainbow moved effortlessly, kicking the black-and-white patterned balls into the goal from across the field, one by one. Every single shot she made landed perfectly in the net. It was not that different from the way Twilight had seen Rainbow Dash the Pegasus knock out clouds in the sky over Ponyville. Boom! Zing! Pow!
When she kicked the last ball into the net, Applejack ran across the grass to greet her. The rest of the girls watched anxiously from the sidelines. Rainbow Dash looked annoyed at the intrusion. Rarity tried to remain positive. “They’re actually talking. That’s a good sign.” From afar, it appeared that Applejack was using a lot of hand gestures, and Rainbow was just standing with her arms crossed. But finally, Applejack and Rainbow Dash hugged.
“Hugs! Hugs are always good,” Pinkie chirped, smiling. She clapped her hands together.
Applejack was shaking her head and smiling as she walked up to the group. “Somebody—and I think we can all guess who—told Rainbow Dash my bake sale had been moved to a different day! Dash showed up with the softball team and thought I was the one who’d canceled on her.”
Just as Twilight had suspected! Sunset Shimmer was behind everything.
Rainbow Dash came up to them, kicking a soccer ball and laughing. “Yeah! A.J. started to give me the silent treatment. So I started giving her the silent treatment. Wasn’t about to lose that battle of wills!” Rainbow pointed at Twilight. “Don’t know if you’ve heard, but I don’t lose.”
Applejack rolled her eyes in a jokey way. Anyone could see that she was relieved to have her best friend Rainbow Dash back. It made Twilight feel warm and fuzzy inside to have helped.
“Now,” Rainbow said to Twilight, “all you gotta do to get me to help you out with the whole princess vote is to beat me in a game of one-on-one.” She looked smug.
“What?” Twilight’s face fell, and her warm feelings turned to nerves. She’d never played soccer before. She’d read about it in that same book where she’d learned about football. Walking on two legs was hard enough! Playing a game on them was going to be no piece of apple tart. But she really needed the athletes to vote for her!
“Okay…” Twilight nodded finally.
“First to five goals wins!” Rainbow smiled. Then she took off down the field.
The next twenty minutes were a blur. Everywhere Twilight went, Rainbow Dash was always four steps ahead of her, either blocking her way or stealing the ball. A few times, it seemed like Twilight had a clear shot—and she ended up missing the ball completely and looking really silly. By Rainbow’s fourth goal, Twilight knew she was doomed. But she didn’t give up.
“Go, Twilight!” Pinkie squealed from the sidelines. “You can do it!”
Twilight surged forward, lifted her leg behind her, and kicked hard. Then… she fell flat on her backside.
“Okay, maybe not!” shouted Pinkie with the same enthusiasm. “But good job anyway!”
A moment later, Rainbow kicked goal number five into the net with a satisfied grunt. “That’s game!”
It took Twilight a couple minutes before she was able to catch her breath and stumble back over to the other girls. Rarity gave her a sympathetic look. “I thought you were really going to pull it out there at the end.”
“Yeah, right.” Applejack giggled.
“So, what’s the plan?” An excited smile spread across Rainbow’s face as she jogged up to join them. “How can we make you princess over Sunset Shimmer?”
“But I lost,” Twilight said, confused. Rainbow Dash had said that she’d help only if Twilight won the game.
“Of course you lost. I’m awesome.” Rainbow smirked, hands on hips. “But I’m not gonna help just anybody. The Fall Formal princess should be someone with heart and determination. And you, Twilight, just proved you’ve got ’em both!”
The Sweet Shoppe of this realm was quite different from the one back in Ponyville. There were large, cushy couches everywhere, and the patrons sat sipping drinks and reading books. The menu offered cupcakes and slices of pie, and of course, muffins, but there were all sorts of treats listed on the menu that Twilight had never seen before. Mocha Chocolate Bomb? Triple Chocolate Mint Swirl Cocoa? They sounded like Pinkie Pie creations.
Twilight bit her lip as she stared at the big board behind the register. “A Whipped Caramel Strawberry Swirl Shake?” she said to the woman behind the counter, who was busy tittering around, wiping every surface with a pink rag. She looked an awful lot like Mrs. Cake with her yellow apron and sweet expression. “And can I get that with extra oats?”
Mrs. Cake put down a jug of milk on the counter and gave Twilight a sideways look. “Oats? In a Whipped Caramel Strawberry Swirl Shake?”
Twilight looked over to her friends for guidance. They didn’t notice because they were sprawled out on some comfy couches by the window. They all looked totally wrapped up in the chill atmosphere, just sipping their drinks and chatting. Rarity was scratching Spike’s chin absentmindedly. He looked like he was in heaven, staring up at her with puppy-love eyes. Typical. Seeing them sitting there, she smiled. She could almost picture herself staying here—she was getting used to how everyone looked in this realm. She didn’t understand why Sunset Shimmer hadn’t been able to make the best of it here. She shook her head.
“However you normally make it is fine,” Twilight covered, turning back to the counter. Mrs. Cake carefully passed her the frothy drink, and Twilight kept her eyes on it as she turned around slowly to join her friends. BAM! Milk shake splattered all over the pink-and-yellow tiled floor as Twilight collided with somebody. But a glance up told her that it wasn’t just any boy—it was him! The cute guy with the spiky blue hair stood there, looking just as flustered as she felt. He started to throw napkins down on the mess.
“We have got to stop bumping into each other like this,” he said with a smile, stomping on the soggy napkins with his black-and-white sneaker.
“You know me.” Twilight laughed nervously. “I’m always trying to make a big ‘splash’ around here!” As soon as the words escaped her lips, she regretted them. She sounded like such a dork! Blue-haired boy stared back and raised an eyebrow. “Because my drink kind of splashed on the ground.…” Twilight added, wincing. She should probably stop talking now.
The boy chuckled at her and adjusted his black leather jacket.
Great, so now he thought she was totally awkward. Twilight pointed to the couches stiffly. “I’m gonna go over there now.” She scampered over to her friends and plopped down on the cushy seat. W
hy was it so difficult to act like a normal pony—girl—around him? Twilight took a sip of what was left of her sugary drink and glanced back over her shoulder. He was leaning down, cleaning up the rest of his spilled cocoa while Mrs. Cake made him another.
Rarity took notice of Twilight’s fascination and began to shake her head violently. “Don’t even think about it!” Her purple waves swished back and forth. “You’re already trying to get her crown. Who knows what Sunset Shimmer would do if you ended up getting her ex-boyfriend, too.”
“I don’t even know… we just accidentally…” Twilight said, desperate to deny the implications. Her face grew hot. She hadn’t even realized that anyone was watching or who the boy even was. “Ex-boyfriend?”
Fluttershy took a sip of her mint hot chocolate. “Flash Sentry broke up with her a few weeks ago,” she explained. The girls’ eyes all followed Flash Sentry as he gave Twilight a little wave on his way out of the Sweet Shoppe. Rarity sighed. Clearly, Twilight wasn’t the only one around here who thought he was cute.
Fluttershy shook her head. “I can’t believe she hasn’t done something awful to him yet.”
If that were the case, Twilight couldn’t help but wonder if Sunset Shimmer was waiting until she had the power to do something really awful to him. Power she would get from a certain stolen Equestrian relic. Either way, Twilight thought it was best to keep her distance from Flash Sentry. At least until she got her crown back.
Then it might be negotiable.
The Tails of Twilight Sparkle
Rarity was digging through a giant box of discarded clothes in the back of the Carousel Boutique. It was only down the block from the Sweet Shoppe, and she’d insisted she had to show them all something. It had to do with her brilliant plan to help Twilight get voted as princess, but she wasn’t revealing anything yet.
Applejack stood with her arms crossed, an eyebrow raised. “You sure this is gonna get folks to see Twilight different? Different from the video Sunset Shimmer put online?” She tapped her cowboy boot on the linoleum floor impatiently. This was no time for a fashion show. The dance was tomorrow night!
“Aha!” Rarity exclaimed. She yanked a pair of blue and gold plastic triangles connected by a string out of the box. Next, she pulled out a blue-and-gold wig. Apparently, Rarity was oddly obsessed with wigs in this realm. She fastened the triangles on her head and attached the wig to the back of her skirt, admiring herself in the mirror of the nearby dressing room. “I thought we could wear these as a sign of unity.”
“Omigoodness.” Fluttershy brightened. “The pony ears and tails we used to wear to show school spirit!”
Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie dug through the box and found their own sets of matching ears and tails. Applejack did a twirl. “Whoo-eee! These sure were mighty popular freshman year.”
“Goooo, Wondercolts!” Pinkie Pie yelled as she leaped across the room in full pink pony wear. She even had some glittery pom-poms and a flag that said CHS on it, though no one saw where she got them from. “I forgot how so totally fun these were! Do I look like a Wondercolt? Do I?! Do I?! Do I?!”
Rarity turned back to the group, hopeful. “The five of us are obviously very different, but deep down we’re all Canterlot Wondercolts. Sunset Shimmer is the one who divided us. Twilight Sparkle is the one who united us. And we’re going to let everybody know it!”
Rarity handed Twilight a blue-and-gold pony tail. “So… what do you think?”
Twilight smirked at her new friends. They all looked so much like her pony friends now. They were almost like… Equestria girls. “I think it’s a great plan, Rarity.”
The next day at lunch, the girls were ready to take the Canterlot student body by storm. Armed with tons of extra ears and tails, they stepped into the busy cafeteria and got straight to business. The Equestria Girls nodded to one another.
Applejack skipped up to a pair of eco kids. “Vote Twilight Sparkle, y’all!” She handed them some ears and tails. “She’s here to unite us, not divide us.” The girls hesitantly took them and put them on. As soon as they did, they couldn’t help but giggle at each other.
Across the room, Fluttershy passed three sets to Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle. Since they were freshmen, they’d never worn any before.
“What are these?” Scootaloo chirped with glee.
“My sister used to wear ’em back when she was our age—they rock!” added Apple Bloom. She pointed at Rarity, who was passing some to a pair of fashionistas. “And, look, your sister’s wearin’ ’em, too, Sweetie Belle!”
Sweetie Belle grabbed a set. “Go, Twilight Sparkle!”
Over at the athletes’ table, the football team was taking a little extra convincing. Rainbow Dash walked back and forth like a drill sergeant, sizing them up. “Come on, guys! Twilight’s the one who has the real school spirit!” She tossed each of the burly players their own set of ears and tail. As soon as the quarterback, Chance-A-Lot, put his on, the rest of the boys followed suit. “Looking good!”
Even though she still didn’t know many of the students, Twilight walked around handing out the Wondercolts pony wear. At every turn, she was greeted with warm smiles and welcoming pats on the back. It seemed like everyone was getting a little excited for someone to finally stand up to Sunset Shimmer. Or they were just curious about the brave new girl who was going to do it.
“Vote for me—Twilight,” she said, approaching a few interested drama kids. Suddenly, Twilight felt a tap on her shoulder. “Oh! Hi, Flash!” she said, trying to sound casual. He was wearing a set of white ears and a blue tail to match his real hair. It looked a little silly stuck to his jeans, but in a good way. Now that she looked at him more closely, he sort of reminded her of somepony.…
Sunset Shimmer burst through the doors in a rage.
“Looks great!” Twilight replied, and dashed away before Sunset could see her talking to him.
“This is ridiculous!” Sunset Shimmer flipped her fiery hair and took in the scene. Everybody in the whole cafeteria was now wearing ears and tails—and they were all enjoying themselves. And the name on their lips? Twilight Sparkle.
But if Sunset Shimmer had anything to say about it, Twilight’s party would soon be over and Sunset’s coronation would begin. This was just a little hiccup in the plan.
A Frame and a Flash
“Doesn’t everyone look fabulous?” Rarity beamed as her fellow Equestria Girls—Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Twilight Sparkle—strutted down the hallway in their new accessories. Everyone they passed was also wearing the ears and tails. It was just like freshman year again!
“It was a great idea, Rarity,” agreed Twilight.
Sunset Shimmer came up behind them, smiling. She made a point to bump into Applejack as she passed by.
Applejack frowned. “Don’t know what she’s smiling about. Twilight’s the one who’s gonna be princess of the Fall Formal.”
“Yeah, she is!” Rainbow cheered as she high-fived Applejack.
“Is she going to Principal Celestia’s office?” Fluttershy observed. “Oh no.”
Sunset Shimmer knocked on the office door, a wicked look in her eye. She was definitely up to no good. The door opened and Vice Principal Luna was there. She looked down at Sunset, concerned.
Sunset frowned dramatically. “Vice Principal Luna, something terrible has happened! The dance is ruined!” She threw her hand up to her forehead like she was about to faint from the shock of it all. Rainbow Dash scoffed.
“What do you mean, Sunset Shimmer?” Vice Principal Luna asked. It was obvious that she didn’t entirely trust the girl, either.
“You don’t believe me? Come and see for yourself!” She shot Twilight a triumphant look. “All the decorations are totally ruined.”
Pinkie Pie’s face fell. “What?!” Pinkie had been working on the decorations for days and days. Sunset had to be bluffing. There was no way she was that evil.
Vice Principal Luna sighed and motio
ned for Sunset to lead the way to the gym. The girls all followed.
It was evident from the front entrance of the gym that something was wrong. The banner that used to read CANTERLOT FALL FORMAL had been torn down and lay on the floor in tatters. Pinkie gasped in horror. But the worst was yet to come. A smirk danced on the corners of Sunset Shimmer’s mouth as she pushed open the gym doors.
Inside, everything looked terrible. The balloons had all been popped and the streamers ripped down. The tables were overturned and all the cases of fizzy cider had been smashed across the floor. Pinkie whimpered in despair. She tried to pinch her own arm to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. It couldn’t be true!
“Isn’t this just awful? And after Pinkie Pie worked so hard to make things perfect.” Sunset Shimmer batted her eyelashes innocently. “Why would Twilight Sparkle do something like this?”
Twilight’s stomach churned. Of course this was Sunset’s plan—to pin a crime on her so she couldn’t run for princess. It was really sneaky.
“Twilight Sparkle? Why would you think Twilight was responsible for something like this?” Vice Principal Luna looked to Twilight, unconvinced.
“Because I have proof,” Sunset snapped. She stepped forward and handed a stack of papers to Vice Principal Luna, who inspected them. Luna took a deep breath and turned to Twilight. She looked concerned. “I think you both had better come to my office.”
Five minutes later, Twilight and Sunset sat across from Vice Principal Luna. A series of photographs was spread across the desk. Sunset wore a smug expression, but every time Luna looked up, Sunset would make a big show of frowning. It was so transparent.
“This is clearly you in the photographs, is it not?” Vice Principal Luna said, passing Twilight a photo. She couldn’t believe what she saw. The photo had been made to look like Twilight was kicking over a table in the gym. Bottles of fizzy cider were flying through the air, and everything around her was trashed. But how?