A/N: Although this is a sequel, it doesn't take place after the epilogue. Instead, it takes place a month after the Battle of the Bands. Reading the first is recommended.
As a reminder, the main character's name is Cloudflare. He has light orange skin (a bit lighter than Applejack's) and short green-blue hair, and he wears a plain black shirt and blue pants.
***Week 1, Tuesday***
I open my locker. Put these books in, take those books out, put them in my backpack.
"Hey, Cloudflare." Rainbow walks up to me as I close the locker.
"Hi, Rainbow." We bump fists. "What's up?"
"I'm going on a spy mission, and I want you to tag along."
"Who are you spying on?"
"Crystal Prep. I wanna check out the competition."
"Why me?"
"I don't trust Pinkie, and everybody else is busy."
"I see..."
I've gotten pretty good at not being noticed during the school year, so why not put those skills to the test?
"I don't have anything else to do today, so I'm in."
"Awesome! Let's go!"
"Why do we have to go through the trees?"
"What else are we supposed to do? Walk through the gate? I'm pretty sure they'll see us!"
"But why are you in the tree? Can't you just walk?"
"It looks cooler."
"Why does that matter? We're trying not to be seen."
She leaps from the tree into a bush, then leaps into another bush, and rolls into the next one. She leaps from that bush toward a tree, pushes off of it, and does five flips before sticking the landing. She rolls into the bush closest to the field, sneaks behind the tree next to it, then leaps into another bush. I slowly join her.
"9.8 from the judges. Now can we please stop showing off?"
We look through the bush. From our vantage point, several students are running up and down the soccer pitch.
Is it just me or is the pitch... uneven? It looks like the middle line is off-center.
"We need to get a better view," she whispers.
"This is the best view we'll get without walking onto the field."
A few pairs of students are doing sit-ups. That one girl looks familiar. Light grey, brown hair, knee-high socks...
"No... It can't be..."
"You see something?"
"See that girl with brown hair?"
"Barely."
"It's hard to tell from here, but I think that might be -"
"Hey, guys!"
"Gah!" Pinkie?!
Rainbow and I quickly hide behind the tree. "What are you doing here?"
"I figured you two could use an extra set of eyes on your spy mission! Since I can't lend mine out, I figured I'd tag along instead!"
I see why Rainbow didn't trust her.
"How did you figure out we were here?" I ask.
"I heard you two talking about it at your locker."
Rainbow sighs. A few students are about to run by. "Quick! Get down!" She pushes Pinkie back into the bush. We move to the one on the other side of the tree.
"I still can't see very well from here..."
I hear a squeaking sound. I look next to me, and I see Pinkie floating upward. Balloons are tied around her waist, and Rainbow is on top of them.
Seriously?!
"Best view in the house!"
Does this girl not have a volume control?
Rainbow pops all the balloons. I hold my arms out to catch them. Rainbow lands in my arms, and Pinkie lands on her feet. I set Rainbow down.
Pinkie starts smelling her. "You smell like vanilla!" Rainbow covers Pinkie's mouth.
That was... a random thing to say.
"We're trying to eavesdrop," Rainbow whispers. "That means they don't hear us."
"Ooh! I have just the thing!" She hurries off to another bush.
Rainbow sighs. "This is why I didn't want her to be here."
Hm... She does smell like vanilla. Perfume, maybe?
Nah, she's not the type of girl who wears that stuff.
I notice a microphone above a couple students doing sit-ups. I follow the pole it's attached to, and...
Yup. Should've known. "Is she really this dumb?"
"What are you doing?!" Even Rainbow's getting frustrated. "We're trying to spy on them. Do you even know what 'spy' means?" She grabs the microphone pole and throws it aside. "It means being sneaky. It means not being seen! It means BEING QUIET!"
Saw that coming. I don't even have to look at the students to know she's been spotted.
"Rainbow Dash?"
That voice...
"Bush to Dash. Code Red. You have been spotted." Pinkie grabs the bush she's hiding in. "RUUUUUN!" She speeds off. "Good luck, Cloudflare!"
Damn it, Pinkie!
Rainbow follows her. As they leave, the students return to what they were doing. The brown-haired girl glances in this direction.
I'm pretty sure it's her. Only thing throwing me off is she never did any after-school activities.
The voice, though... It couldn't be anybody else's.
Probably not a good idea to stay here any longer. I slowly back up, and after passing a few trees, I walk toward the fence and hop over it.
***Week 1, Friday***
"I'm not saying I don't like parties. I'm saying I don't want one."
We walk into the band room.
"But why not? Birthdays are for celebrating!"
"Not for me. I don't like making a big deal out of..."
In the room, there are several... science machines, I guess they're called? One of them has two antenna things with a bolt of electricity flowing from one to the other. Sunset is at that machine, wearing a lab coat.
"Uh... I thought we were rehearsing," Rainbow says.
Sunset turns around. "You are. Sort of. Back when I was Princess Celestia's student, I learned best by going out into the field and actually doing something. Studying ancient books is fine for some, but I like to solve magical mysteries by rolling up my sleeves and getting my hooves - uh, hands dirty."
"I can relate to workin' hard outdoors," Applejack says, "but what in the hay does that have to do with us playin' music?"
"I'm trying to figure out how magic works here." Sunset plugs in one of the machines using a large plug. Huh, those do exist. I thought they were only in cartoons. "Why you grow ears, tails, and wings when you pony up and what your instruments have to do with it."
"So why am I here?" I ask.
"I want you to be my assistant."
"Assistant?"
"Sure! Every good scientist has one. An extra set of hands could come in handy. No pun intended."
Well, if it means I get to spend more time with her, I don't mind. "Sure, why not?"
"Great!" She hands me a helmet. "Could you put that on Fluttershy?"
It's a strainer with eight rods sticking out of the holes and wires wrapped around the ends, as well as a chin strap to hold it in place.
"Um... Are you sure we need to figure it out?" Fluttershy asks as I put it on her head.
"It'll be fun! Just start playing. You won't even know I'm here."
I tighten the chin strap, then join Sunset. "Is all this stuff from the school?" I ask her.
"Most of it. They didn't have a helmet, so I had to improvise."
Why would the school need all this? Is there a Mad Scientists club? No wonder the budget's so tight...
After waiting for the machine to warm up, she gives a thumbs-up to Fluttershy, who begins playing her tambourine. I watch her play, and sure enough, her wings appear and her hair gets longer.
Wait, I thought she was left-handed.
Suddenly, the helmet comes loose and there's a bright light. After shielding my eyes, the light fades and all the ceiling lights go out. A few illuminated butterflies fly by, and one lands on my nose.
Something else I thought was only in cartoons...
"Not hooking anything up this time?"
"Science isn't always about attaching hundreds of gadgets to your test subjects. That only happens in cartoons."
That's what I said about giant plugs and butterflies on noses.
Applejack starts playing, and as usual, she ponies up and starts hovering in the air. That's the part I'm most curious about. It abruptly cuts off without anything happening.
"So... is 'no result' a result?"
I hear something above me, so I glance up.
Duck and cover!
Whatever that stuff is, it falls on top of me and buries me beneath it.
It's not heavy, so that's good. I poke my head out of the top. It's a pile of apples.
"You okay?" Sunset asks.
"I'm fine." I take a bite of the apple in front of my face. "At least I'll never go hungry."
Sunset puts the last suction cup thing on Rarity.
"Uh... Are you sure you should be standing there? If she ends up doing what Fluttershy and AJ did, those diamonds could hurt."
"I'll be fine. When she starts hovering, she should be far enough above me so I don't get caught in the blast zone."
"I hope you're right."
Rarity begins playing, and she ponies up. As she starts getting airborne, I hear a thud. Sunset is on the ground with one of her legs up. A cord got wrapped around her ankle.
I hurry over and start to untangle it as Rarity returns to normal. "You alright?"
"Yeah. Guess I should watch where I'm standing."
I feel like getting any sort of reading from Pinkie would be a waste of time.
Sunset watches the machine while Pinkie starts playing. I get in a position where I can push Sunset out of the way. I'm not sure how she could get hurt by balloons, but still... Once Pinkie ponies up, she starts going crazy on the drums. As soon as she goes for the crash cymbals, I shove Sunset out of the way.
I feel something slam into me and push me back. Whatever wind was left in me from that is knocked out when I hit the wall.
"Gah, f***!"
Okay... So that's how.
Also, I'm pretty sure static cling isn't supposed to keep you pinned against a wall. Then again, I've never been shot at by a hundred balloons, so...
"Is this because I said I didn't want a party...?"
"Are you sure you still want to help?"
"My back's a little sore, but it's nothing serious. If it gets worse, I'll go see the nurse."
"Well, alright..."
"Besides, what's gonna happen to us in here?"
Pinkie joins us in the recording room. "You two might need this." She hands me an umbrella.
"Why?" I take it.
"Pinkie Sense." She leaves.
Pinkie Sense? Also, where'd she get this umbrella?
Rainbow starts playing. When she ponies up a trail of various colors flows through the guitar cable.
I think this is where I need it.
I open it as the colors reach the other end of the cable. I hold the umbrella in front of us, and I hear a splat. I move it out of the way, and I see a huge splash of rainbow... goop, I guess? ...on the window.
"Are we gonna have to clean this up?"
"Finally, after all this testing, I've come to a definitive conclusion!" She sighs. "I have no idea how magic works in this world."
"And I've come to the conclusion that balloons hurt if they're shot out of a bass drum." My back is killing me...
"Sorry about that," Pinkie says.
"If you girls don't mind, I'm gonna see if Nurse Redheart has an ice pack... and some painkillers."
***Week 2, Wednesday***
Ambition is what I believed
To be the only way to set me free
This is a great song. What makes it even better is it's so personal. She has an amazing singing voice, too.
"Awesome as I wanna be"
Really, Rainbow? A text now? Sunset's phone goes off, too. This better be good...
"EMERGENCY! Come 2 school NOW!"
Oh crap! I look at Sunset. "You get the same text?"
"Emergency at the school?"
"Yup."
"Let's go."
We arrive at the school. The other girls are here as well.
"We got your text, Rainbow," Sunset says. "Did something come through the portal? Is there Equestrian magic on the loose? Did Twilight come to us with a problem only we can solve?"
"Did a giant cake monster cover all the cakes in the world with cake?!" Pinkie says as she stuffs two cupcakes in her mouth.
That... doesn't sound like an emergency. It sounds like a good thing. More cake!
"Um... not exactly."
Maybe cupcakes on top of a cake. Instead of 16 candles, 16 cupcakes.
"I... don't understand."
A cupcake birthday cake! Gotta remember to tell Pinkie about that.
"Well, Sunset," AJ says, "I was just tellin' Dash that a broken guitar string doesn't really count as an emergency."
"It totally does!"
"Really, Rainbow Dash..." Rarity's still wearing her seamstress glasses and the thing she keeps pins in, as well as the measuring tape around the back of her neck. "I was in the middle of sewing a very complex appliqué on my latest frock."
"And I was just about to tuck everyone in for the night at the shelter." Fluttershy is holding a bunny. "Now we'll have to start stories all over again," she says to it.
"Sunset was playing a new song she's been working on, and it sounded great," I say.
"Why would you send all of us an emergency text for a guitar string?" Sunset asks.
"Well, I was gonna pony up and show our fans some awesome guitar licks." Rainbow motions to Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo, who are sitting on the steps and waving at us. "I kinda need all six strings to do it. Got any extra?"
Are you serious? "You interrupted my alone time with Sunset for that?!"
"I'm out of replacements!"
"Okay, but why did you text all of us? Sunset's the only one who plays guitar."
"I sorta... panicked."
Sunset gets a string out of her backpack and gives it to Rainbow. "Here, but everyone finished practicing for the day. I'm pretty sure all the music rooms are locked."
"No problem. The acoustics in the hallway are perfect for power chords." She plays one. "Come on! Let's go!" The girls, except for Sunset, walk into the school.
"You two comin'?" AJ asks.
"We'll catch up in a bit."
AJ closes the door behind her.
"How lax is the security in this school?" I say rhetorically.
"What do you mean?"
"The doors are always unlocked. Everybody can come and go as they please, pretty much."
We sit on the steps. "Well, nothing ever happens that would warrant keeping them locked."
"Yeah, but I figured student safety would be their top priority. Maybe the school can't afford remote door locks."
"You're still on about that stuff?"
"Hey, I call it like I see it."
She gets out her journal.
"Dear Princess Twilight:
How's life treating you in Equestria? Any cool new magic spells?"
The past month has been great. Aside from a couple freshmen, the students have stopped insulting me. I'm not concerned about those two. The Crusaders told me they act like that to almost everybody. Trixie keeps bragging about her band making it to the finals, but I don't let it bother me. That's just how she is.
I haven't seen the Dazzlings since that night. I wonder what they've been up to...
The tryouts for the Friendship Games went well. Pinkie practically begged me to go, so I decided to give it a shot. It ended up more being like a talent show. "You can juggle five things at once? Congratulations! You're on the team!" Not that I'm complaining. I'm glad to be on the team with my friends. Especially Sunset. Lyra and Sweetie Drops turned it into a competition between the two of them, but they both made the team anyway. I'm still not sure what that peacock vs. owl thing was supposed to be...
Speaking of Sunset, she changed her regular outfit, and although I kinda liked the leather jacket, I understand her wanting to get rid of it. The new look makes her look cuter, at least.
It's only been a month, but I really like her. It might seem strange having a crush on somebody who used to make your life miserable, but she's a completely different person now. I'd ask her to be my girlfriend, but I feel it's too early for that. That's not to say I don't think she likes me back. We spend a lot of time together, and she's gotten a little flirty a couple times.
"Your friend, Sunset Shimmer."
"Perfect!"
I look up, and I see three girls running up to us. Two of them are holding lights, and the other is holding a camera.
As soon as they reach us, they hold the lights next to us and the other girl starts taking pictures. "Gaze into each other's eyes. Hold hands. Show me what true love looks like."
"True love? Wait, we're not -"
"Gaze!"
We look at each other and I take her hands in mine. As much as I want this, I don't want it to be forced.
*click* *click* *click*
"Yes... Yes!"
*click* *click* *click*
This feels really uncomfortable...
"Enough! I go." They leave.
...
"What was that about?" she asks.
"Why did she think we're a couple?"
"Maybe because we were sitting together." She looks down. "Um... You can let go of my hands now."
"Oh, right." I let go, and I feel myself starting to blush.
"...wouldn't mind..." I hear her mumble.
"What was that?"
"Oh, n-nothing..."
I notice something in the corner of my eye. I look in that direction, and there's somebody in a greenish-blue hoodie standing at the statue. They're holding some type of purple device in their right hand and their left hand is on the spot where the portal is.
"Hey!"
They turn around. It's a girl.
"What are you doing?"
She starts running away.
"Wait!" The two of us give chase.
"Get back here!"
As we're about to cross the street, a car drives past us and cuts us off. A bus pulls up to the other side. By the time we get to the sidewalk, the bus pulls away, and the girl is gone.
"Who was that?"
"And what was she doing at the portal?" We walk back to the statue, and I put my hand on the portal spot. It produces a blue ripple effect.
I wonder if anyone's ever questioned this. Surely somebody's rested against this and noticed the ripple.
The girls and I are in the library.
"Do you think she came through the portal?" Fluttershy asks.
"No, I'm pretty sure I would've noticed that," Sunset says. "I think she's from here."
"That's a relief," AJ says. "The last thing we need is another magical being from Equestria comin' here to take over the world."
"It's happened twice already," I say. "I'm pretty sure the Friendship Games will go off without a hitch."
"I dunno," Pinkie says. "The rule of three says something's gonna happen."
"Yeah, but third time's a charm."
"Still," Sunset says, "a mysterious figure snooping around the portal? Don't you wanna know what she's up to?"
"I don't even wanna guess..." Fluttershy says.
"Well, you don't have to," Rainbow says, holding a book, "because I've totally figured out who it was!"
"Ooh ooh! A nighttime statue cleaner? A magical portal maintenance maintainer?" Pinkie holds up two books. "A gardener?"
Seriously? "She was holding a purple device with green and red on the meter. I don't think she's a - wait, let me see that second book." She hands it to me. Maintaining Your Magical Portal. "Um... Why would the school have a book like this? Come to think of it, why would anybody have a book like this?"
"Forget about that," Rainbow says. "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..."
"Yup. The Friendship Games start tomorrow, and they'd totally try to prank us by defacing the Wondercolts statue again."
"Why would anyone take a bus all the way from the city for that?" Sunset asks.
"Because they're our biggest rivals," AJ says.
"Because that's just what the students at Crystal Prep would do." Rarity says.
"Because they still have to gloat even when they beat us in everything," Rainbow says.
"Okay, number one," I say, "we took a bus to Crystal Prep to spy on them first, so maybe they'd be returning the favor. Number two, the girl was holding some type of handheld meter. There's not much you can do to anything with something like that. Number three, she had a hand on the spot where the portal opens. She was clearly looking for something."
"This whole thing seems kinda silly to me," Sunset says.
"Silly?!"
"So I guess you think the Friendship Games are silly, too," Rainbow says.
"Well, it's not like we're fighting some evil magical creature."
"No, but we're fighting our biggest rivals," I say. "Not everything has to be magical to be important."
"Yeah, you're right. I just don't get why there's this big rivalry. With a name like the 'Friendship Games', shouldn't it be about our two schools getting along?"
"Well, it's kinda hard to get along with someone who beats you at everything," AJ says.
"Not anymore!" Rainbow says. "This time, things are gonna be different."
"What do you mean?"
"Oh, you'll find out..."