Twilight's Home
"There you go Spike." The girl says, tossing a rubber ball across the room. The dog retrieves the ball and brings it back to her as she sits in her chair. "Good boy." She says as she scratches his stomach. "It won't be much longer Spike. As soon as The Great and Powerful blah blah blah does what I know she will, we can move to phase two. I wonder how she's enjoying my little gifts. Hopefully for me she's read the instructions. Getting those wasn't easy by any means."
"Hey Twilight, dinners ready." Shining Armor calls from the stairs.
"Coming." She gets up as she see's the meter on one of her devices begin to move. "Well it looks like she's getting some use out of it. Who would have thought that janitor could be so much help. Well come on Spike it's dinner time."
Human World (Several Years Ago)
Sunset Shimmer waits impatiently by the school statue, tapping her foot against the ground. Suddenly a tall figure comes crashing through. "It's about time Sketchy. What took you so long? And did you bring the supplies?"
The lanky fellow manages to get to his feet and hands her the bag full of the items he'd retrieved. "I have them Sunset, as you requested."
After grabbing the bag from him, Sunset's expression softens. "Thanks, I knew I could count on you. You've never let me down before. I don't know why I doubted you in the first place."
"It wasn't easy. One of the guards almost saw me. I heard one of them talking with the Princess." This news catches Sunset's attention. "It seems she has a new protege."
Sunset turns away from him to think for a moment. "Only natural. I left, so she replaced me. It just shows she never really appreciated me in the first place." Sketchy puts a reassuring arm around her. "Let's just forget about her for now. Once my plan succeeds, Celestia will wish she'd never crossed me. And then we'll rule all of Equestria."
"We?"
"Of course. I couldn't have gotten this far without your help. You're the only one I'd actually consider calling my friend. My best friend."
"Thank you Sunset."
"Hello, hello. Are you listening?" Trixie's shouts, snapping Sketchy out of his flashback as he and The Illusions sit in the janitor's office. "I said we're all ready to start."
"Huh, oh right, yes. So, you're sure you know how to use this stuff?" Sketchy asks Trixie as she holds up the vial of powder, pouring a small amount into her hand.
"Pfft. The Great and Powerful Trixie knows exactly what she is doing. She reads the manual. Lavender, Fuchsia, step forward."
"Sure Trixie." Lavender says as their band leader blows the dust from the palm of her hand into Fuchsia's face.
"Now Fuchsia, it was Lavender Lace that ate your last pudding cup." Trixie says calmly as the girl's pupils turn a tint of red and she furiously grits her teeth.
"You what?!" The girl lashes out as Lavender attempts to defend herself.
"No I did not." As she says this, Trixie blows a bit at Lavender as she starts to get angry as well. "And what If I did? What's a dummy like you going to do about it?"
"You're the dummy."
"No you are!" Lavender yells as she and Fuchsia shout and shove each other.
"Amazing, it actually works!" Trixie says triumphantly as she watches the spectacle. "If it can do that from just a minor problem, just imagine what it can do if we stir up some real trouble." Unknown to her, the bracelet around her wrist begins to siphon off the energy from the two as the effects of the powder begin to wear off. The arguing eventually ceases as the two fall to their knees and begin to shake their heads.
"What just happened?" Fuchsia asks. "Can't remember anything."
"I don't know, but I think it had something to do with pudding." Lavender says as she helps her friend get back to her feet. "What was that?"
"That girls was the key to our revenge. We'll need some more recon if we're going to pull this off."
"I'm on it. I'll meet you girls when I have something." Sketchy says as he grabs a broom and heads out. As he walks down the hallway he can't help but think. "I sure hope this Twilight kid knows what she's doing." He then shrugs his shoulders, brushing the matter off.
Canterlot High Auditorium
"Come on Aria you can do it!" Sonata shouts with many of the other students as they watch Aria's match in the charity boxing tournament the school has hosted. As the bell for the end of the fourth round rings Aria, who has her hair tied back in a single pony-tail that sticks out of the back of her head gear, returns to her corner. As her sit is brought out, Snips and Snails, two of her corner men, help tend to her, giving her water and wiping her face with a towel.
"Alright you got this. Just keep doing what you're doing and you can't lose." Snips says as he puts her mouthpiece back in.
"You can do it." Snails says with a smile.
"Yeah, thanks." Aria says as she heads out for the fifth and final round. She comes out the same way as the rounds before, bobbing and weaving through her opponents punches as she closes in. Throwing a flurry of punches, she continues this tactic until the bell rings, ending the match. Aria and her fellow competitor walk to the center of the ring as the judge takes each girl by the hand. After a few painstaking seconds he raises Aria's hand to declare her the winner, as her friends along with many in the crowd cheer her on. As she celebrates in ring center, her friends rush in to congratulate her.
"That was pretty much the third coolest thing I've ever seen." Rainbow Dash says.
"Third?" Aria asks with a raised eyebrow.
"Hey, I have to leave some room for me of course. But being in the top five isn't bad."
Tiki climbs from Sonata's bag and leaps over to Aria. "Somebodies really missed their mommy." Sonata says as Aria rubs the ferret.
"I missed you too little guy, but you have to stay out of the way. I don't want to get in trouble. Now go back to bed and I'll see you after school, okay." The ferret obeys Aria's request and hops back into the pack.
"Thanks so much Aria for helping to raise money for the animal shelter." Fluttershy adds.
"And you only needed to win one more match to make it to the finals, so you could lose your next one and still qualify." Sunset says.
"Yeah, but I plan on winning that one too."
"What a firm stand. It seems a five win streak we both have planned." The group turn to see a pale skinned girl wearing blue jeans, a black and white striped shirt with a blue jacket over it. Her solid black hair, tied up in a bun, is broken up by a long white streak near the middle. "I'm sad to tell you in my retort, you'll be coming up a little bit short."
"Rope-a-Dope. Figures you'd make it this far." Aria says as she sighs. "And it looks like you're my next victim. Only one of us is going into the next round with a perfect record and it's going to be me."
"I hope you don't think me too big a jerk, but your trash talk needs a lot of work. In two days time we'll meet in the ring. Your defeat will be such legend all will sing. I will defeat you and that will be that. And so I say to you, get used to the mat." She abruptly leaves with her entourage as Aria sneers at her exit.
"I really can't stand that girl. If it's not the bragging it's the constant rhyming. I'm really looking forward to give her a humbling."
"Don't worry, once you get through my training regime you'll have everything you need to take her down." Rainbow Dash says.
"And I have the most fabulous robe for your ring walk." Rarity adds, pulling out a set of designs as Pinkie looks over them.
"Cool."
"Thanks you guys. I appreciate all the help."
"No problem. But you should really be getting ready for your date tomorrow." Sonata blurts out.
"Sonata!"
"Date? Do tell." Rarity says as her eyes light up.
"It's nothing." Aria says, slightly defensive.
"She's going on a date with Snails." Sonata says happily as the others give surprised and happy looks.
Aria begins to blush from embarrassment. "What? It's just one date. He's been helping a lot in getting me ready for the tournament. I at least owe him that much." Everyone collectively gives her a smirk. "Fine, and he's kind of cute in a dorky way. Is that what you wanted to hear?"
"Pretty much." Applejack says, chuckling.
"Anyway, it's a surprise, so don't tell him okay?" The girls all agree before they head out. Unknown to them Sketchy is a short distance away, sweeping the floor of the auditorium, listening to their conversation.
"Trixie, come in." He says over his walkie talkie. "I have something I think we can use. I'm on my way back." As he prepares to leave the still unorganized auditorium he is stopped by Vice Principal Luna who gives him a stern look. "Scratch that. I've got something to take care of before that so I'll be held up for a bit. Sketchy out." He puts on a fake smile and continues sweeping as Luna, while not completely satisfied, takes her leave. After she leaves he looks up and notices three male students joking around, one with tan skin and a black afro, one with white skin and short red hair and another with tan skin and purple hair. "Hey, you guys wanna make twenty bucks a piece?"
"Are you sure you won't get into trouble?" Fuchsia asks as she has been teamed up with the janitor, who has successfully slipped out of his duties while Trixie and Lavender have gone on their own. Trixie has given them instructions on what to do for her plan to succeed.
"Nah, I got some guys to cover for me. Since Vice Principal Luna rarely ever leaves her office except for disciplinary action they should be done before she comes to check. I get out of doing it and I'm only out sixty bucks."
"Sixty bucks? Jeez. Who'd you get?"
"Some kids. Uh, Cut something."
"Cut Off? You messed up. They'd have done it for five bucks between them."
"Now you tell me. There he is." Sketchy says as they spot Snails talking with Snips down the hall. "Okay, time to work our magic." He says as he pretends to start mopping as Fuchsia prepares for her role.
"Okay Fuchsia, you got this. Stay loose, stay natural." She says before clearing her throat. "Hey Snails, you got a minute?" He and Snips make their way over to the girl. "A little birdie told me that a certain singer has eyes for you."
"Wow, really? Who is that?"
Fuchsia stops herself short of slapping him before answering. "Aria Blaze."
"Oh, cool."
"Congratulations pal." Snips says, patting him on the back.
"But there's also some bad news. It seems she's a little shy about coming out and saying it. So it might be up to you to make the first move."
"How do I do that?"
"Don't mean to intrude but I couldn't help but overhear your predicament."
"My what now?"
"Your problem kid, your problem. It seems to me that if you want her to confess her love to you you got to put some pressure on her to make her want to. Make her think you're interested in another girl."
"Hey that could work." Snips admits.
"Okay, what should I do?"
"You need to kiss a girl and make sure she sees you do it. Lucky for you I know the perfect girl. You kiss her and Aria won't be able to hold it in anymore." Fuchsia says with a friendly smile. After some coercing, she finally convinces Snails to do exactly what she recommends. "Trust me, if you do what I said, word for word, she'll be all yours. Now, are you ready?"
"Yeah, I'm ready."
"Great, there she is. Now go get her champ." As he makes his way over to the other girl, Fuchsia contacts Trixie over the walkie talkie. "Trixie this is Fuchsia. We're all set on our end. How about you guys?"
"We're on time, on task and on target. Well, at least Trixie is." She says as she watches as her band mate leads Aria around the corner.
Trixie hams up her acting for this particular instance. "This way Aria. It's terrible, simply terrible."
"What's so …." Aria stops herself as she looks down the hall to see Snails kissing a girl, and not just any girl but her younger sister. She is stunned by what she sees, not quite able to piece things together. Behind her, Trixie blows a cloud of the dust in her direction. She breaths it in without even noticing.
"I'm sure you have some things to discuss with Sonata." Trixie says with a smirk as she watches as Aria angrily makes her way down the hall.
"Snails, what are you doing?" Sonata asks, confused as to what has just happened.
"I just thought..." Snails is puzzled as he was certain Fuchsia's advice would work.
"What is he doing? What are you doing?"
"Aria? It's not what it looks like." Sonata says in her defense.
"Oh really? Because it looks like you just kissed Snails. You knew we were going out. How could you?"
"Wait, what? We were going out?" Snails asks, clearly confused now.
"Yeah, were. Past tense." Aria says as she pushes him away. "Jerk." The few students present are shocked to see this happening as Aria turns her attention back to her sister. "I can't believe you."
"Aria, just calm down. Let me explain." Sonata pleads as the other girls enter the scene and head over to see what is going on.
"What's going on?" Sunset asks as they step between the two.
"Let's all just calm down and talk whatever this is out shall we." Rarity suggests.
"Oh I get. Aria's always the angry one so she must have started it!" The purple haired girl lashes out as the others trade stares.
"No one said that Aria." Fluttershy says, aiding in the attempt to calm her.
"You didn't have to. Forget this I'm outta here." Aria turns and begins to walk away. Sonata rushes after her, grabbing her by the shoulder. "Leave me alone!" What happens next shocks everyone, even Trixie and her team. Aria can't believe what she has just done as she looks down, where Sonata is laying on her side, clutching her left cheek, where her sister's blow has left a large bruise.
"Aria?" Sonata says with tears in her eyes as the other girls rush over to help.
"What's wrong with you? That's your sister. You might be a little high strung about the match, but you better stop taking it out on everyone else." Rainbow Dash says aggressively, getting into Aria's face. The girl responds by grabbing Dash by her jacket. She stops short of hitting her as she turns her attention back to Sonata who is still in tears.
"What is going on out her?" Miss Cheerilee says as she comes out into the hall. Aria shoves Rainbow Dash and runs off.
"I-I fell. I'm alright." Sonata says to cover up what has just happened. Rarity and Pinkie turn to the other students, convincing them to collaborate the story. Snails, out of shame and embarrassment quickly leaves as Sketchy makes his way around the corner.
"Let me take a look at that. Oh my that looks awful." Cheerilee says as she examines the injury.
"I heard the commotion ma'am. Is there anything I can do to help?" The janitor says, feigning concern. "Oh my. I'll escort her to the nurses office and get her fixed up."
"Thank you Mr. Sketchy."
"No problem ma'am. Right this way." As he leads her to the nurses office her friends all trade worried looks, trying to figure out what has just transpired. "Don't worry kid, everything's going to be just fine." He says reassuringly.
On the other end of the hall Trixie chuckles to herself. "That worked out even better than I could have dreamed." She is still, however, none the wiser of the energy being absorbed by her bracelet, her eyes momentarily turning a shade of red.