by Perdita Finn
Her phone pinged. Sunny Flare makes the worst cookies. It was a message from Sour Sweet.
I’m sorry, Twilight Sparkle texted her back.
Yours looked better, came the answer.
You’ll figure it out, answered Twilight Sparkle. I’m sure you will.
Twilight Sparkle felt like she had figured something out that day. It wasn’t about baking cookies or taking pictures; it was something else, something a little magical, a little special. She had fun with Sunset Shimmer.
Spike to the Rescue
Fluttershy was excited for Twilight Sparkle to come over with Spike. Because she was naturally quiet and a little shy, she always found it easier to get to know someone one-on-one.
She had everything she needed for a very special pooch primp—doggy bubble bath, soft fluffy towels, a brand-new brush, and pretty clip-on bows. She’d even baked a batch of homemade dog biscuits. The puppies at the shelter really loved them. She hoped Spike did, too.
“Arf! Arf! Arf!”
Fluttershy could hear Spike as he came up the driveway with Twilight Sparkle. Long ago, when the Princess of Friendship first visited Canterlot High, Fluttershy became her first friend—all because of Spike. They both shared a love for animals. Fluttershy knew that Twilight Sparkle was her own person, and not necessarily exactly like the princess, but she had a feeling they were going to have a great time together.
Twilight Sparkle stopped in the driveway. She bent down to talk to Spike. “Remember, Spike: Don’t tell Fluttershy how I didn’t have friends at Crystal Prep.”
“But you did have a friend!” he barked. “You had me!”
“Oh, Spike,” she said, nuzzling him. “You’re the best. But remember, okay?”
She knew that she shouldn’t feel nervous, but she did. She rang the doorbell.
Fluttershy skipped over to the front door to open it. Spike greeted her with a bark. Twilight Sparkle smiled and waved. She hoped that she would say all the right things and that Fluttershy would like her.
“I hope it isn’t too much trouble having us over,” said Twilight, coming into the house.
“Oh, no,” said Fluttershy instantly. “I can’t imagine anything I’d rather do. You ready for your makeover, Spike?”
“Yippee!” he barked. “By the way,” he added, “Twilight Sparkle was never unpopular at Crystal Prep. Just so you know.”
“How could she be?” Fluttershy smiled.
Twilight Sparkle was embarrassed. She wanted to tell Spike not to bring up Crystal Prep again, but he was too busy enjoying Fluttershy’s ear scratches.
“What a sweetheart!” Fluttershy said.
“He’s my best friend,” said Twilight.
“But not her only friend,” added Spike. “Absolutely not.”
Fluttershy smiled at Twilight Sparkle. “Of course not.” She led them upstairs, where she had lit scented candles. The bathtub was filled with warm bubbles… and plastic chew toys.
“Hooray!” barked Spike, diving in. The girls laughed as he splashed them. He paddled back and forth in the tub.
“We need to give him a good scrub,” Fluttershy explained to Twilight Sparkle. “Don’t be scared of getting him wet.”
“And I’m not scared of getting you two wet!” yipped Spike. He slapped his paws back and forth. The girls, covered in bubbles, screamed with laughter.
When Spike was all clean, they wrapped him up in towels and gave him a blow-dry. His purple hair got all fuzzy and staticky and stood straight up in the air. Twilight Sparkle grabbed her phone and began snapping photos of him. “Can you take a photo of me with him?” she asked Fluttershy.
“Sure thing!” Fluttershy answered. “You two are adorable.”
“C’mon. You get in the photo, too!” urged Twilight Sparkle. She took the phone, and all three of them crowded in for a group shot.
They dusted Spike with powder. Fluttershy taught Twilight Sparkle how to trim his nails. “Maybe we should paint them blue and white, just like mine.” Twilight Sparkle giggled.
“That’s not so good for him,” Fluttershy explained. “Dogs often chew on their paws. Let’s give him a biscuit instead.”
“I brought cookies for us to eat,” volunteered Twilight Sparkle. “Chocolate chip!”
“My favorite,” said Fluttershy.
“Sunset Shimmer and I made them together yesterday. We had so much fun.”
“I hope you’ll bring Spike to the shelter one day. He’d have fun meeting the dogs I take care of,” said Fluttershy.
Twilight’s eyes lit up. “That does sound special.”
“It really is,” said Fluttershy.
“And I can make dog friends!” said Spike. “I didn’t have any dog friends at Crystal Prep. Not one. But I wasn’t alone. Because I had Twilight Sparkle!”
Twilight laughed. Spike was just about the sweetest dog in the whole world—and he smelled a lot better now, too. When she got home, she posted the photo of her and Spike and Fluttershy. It felt like she had a new friend. How had she done it with all of Spike’s embarrassing mistakes? She wasn’t really sure, but she had.
Pairing Up
Rainbow Dash arrived at the climbing center early. She wanted to get everything set up so she and Twilight Sparkle would have plenty of time to tackle the walls together. The girls had all agreed that it was easier to get to know someone new one-on-one, and Rainbow Dash thought wall climbing was the best way of all to make friends.
You supported your partner, by holding on to a belay rope while they navigated footholds and handholds as they clambered to the top. It was fun. Rainbow Dash had everything ready—harnesses, helmets, climbing shoes, and energy bars for when they were done. It was going to be a great morning!
She was coiling a rope when three girls she didn’t know very well came over to her. She realized she’d competed against them in the Friendship Games. They went to Crystal Prep.
“Hey,” said Rainbow Dash, raising her hand in a friendly way.
“You’re meeting Twilight Sparkle here, right?” asked Sunny Flare.
“I am!” answered Rainbow Dash. “You girls climbing today?”
Sour Sweet cleared her throat. “We’d love to join you because, you know, Twilight Sparkle. She’s not exactly the best at sports.”
“You don’t have to be the best to have fun,” said Rainbow Dash. “You just have to want to try.”
“Hmm,” Sugarcoat considered. “I wouldn’t want her to ruin the day for you. You know how she is.”
Rainbow Dash looked confused. “No. I don’t. What do you mean?”
The three girls tittered. “Oh, you know,” said Sugarcoat.
Twilight Sparkle burst through the door at that moment. “I’m sorry I’m a little late,” Twilight Sparkle apologized. “I was finishing up my homework.”
Sunny Flare raised an eyebrow. “See?” she whispered to Rainbow Dash.
Hopeless, mouthed Sunny Flare to Sugarcoat.
But Rainbow Dash ignored the girls. “Why don’t you climb first, Twilight Sparkle? I’ll hold the belay rope. You can trust me!”
“I know I can. That’s what friends do. They trust each other.” Twilight Sparkle was beaming. How did she know that? She just did. She could feel it inside of her.
She saw the Crystal Prep girls a moment later. They were shaking their heads like she had said something stupid. It was true Twilight Sparkle hadn’t thought about what she was saying, but she knew it was true. She just did.
She pulled on her helmet and buckled her harness into the ropes. She grabbed on to the first handhold and hoisted herself up the wall.
Meanwhile, Sunny Flare was bickering with Sugarcoat and Sour Sweet. “I’ve always wanted to try out the climbing wall. I call firsties.”
“Sorry, Sunny,” said Sugarcoat. “I’ve paired up with Sour Sweet.”
Sunny Flare scowled, watching the other girls start to have fun. “Here,” she said. “I’ll make a video of you all.”
Twilight Sparkle was s
truggling, but Rainbow Dash reassured her every time she slipped. “Wow!” she said encouragingly. “I can’t believe this is your first time climbing.”
“Really?” called down Twilight Sparkle.
“Really!”
Sugarcoat glanced over at them and stopped focusing on Sour Sweet. Her hands loosened on the rope, and Sour Sweet slipped. “Ouch!” she shouted. “Watch what you are doing!”
Sunny Flare tittered. “Ha! I’ve got it all on film. You should see how funny you look.”
Rainbow Dash looked concerned. “Climbing is serious business. Trust is serious business,” she said to Sugarcoat.
But Sugarcoat wasn’t listening. “Hurry up!” she shouted at Sour Sweet. “It’s my turn now.”
Twilight Sparkle had reached the top. “I did it!” she exclaimed.
“I knew you would,” said Rainbow Dash.
When she came down, Rainbow Dash took a turn on the wall. But the Crystal Prep girls were fighting with one another. Sour Sweet stormed out of the building. Sunny Flare was uploading her video and laughing.
“Don’t do that!” Sugarcoat gasped, reaching for the phone.
But Sunny Flare ignored her.
Later on, when they were taking a break for energy bars, Rainbow Dash asked Twilight a question. “That was a hard team to play on, wasn’t it?”
“What team?” asked Twilight, confused. “I’ve never been on a team.”
“Crystal Prep,” Rainbow Dash explained. “Those girls don’t know much about teamwork, do they?”
“Oh, that’s not true,” said Twilight. “They’re much better at it than I am.” Weren’t they always together? Wasn’t she always alone when she was at Crystal Prep?
“Give yourself some credit, girl,” said Rainbow Dash. “I know who I want holding my belay rope, and it’s you every time.”
That night, Rainbow Dash called up Applejack. “Those Crystal Prep girls were not very nice today at the climbing wall.”
“I don’t think they were very nice to our Twilight at Crystal Prep.”
“They just don’t know much about friendship, do they?”
“But Twilight does.”
“I’m not sure she knows she knows it, if you know what I mean,” said Rainbow Dash. “Maybe we can help show her she knows way more about being a friend than she realizes.”
“Ooh! I like that idea,” Applejack exclaimed. “But how do we do that?”
“We’ll think of something. I’m sure of it.”
Later, Twilight Sparkle looked over the list the Crystal Prep girls had given her. Something was wrong with it, she realized. But what?
Cheering Chums
The next morning, the marching band was playing. The cheerleaders were waving their pom-poms. The stands in Canterlot High’s gymnasium were full. The basketball game was about to begin! Each team’s players trotted on to the court.
“Go, Canterlot High!” squealed Pinkie Pie, jumping up and down. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Twilight Sparkle enter the gym. Twilight looked a little lost. She was scanning the bleachers. “Over here! Over here!” shouted Pinkie Pie.
Twilight made her way through the crowds of kids and climbed up toward Pinkie Pie. Pinkie Pie gave her a big hug. “I’ve got noisemakers and streamers and balloons for us to wave!” Pinkie Pie told her.
“Wow!” Twilight Sparkle was impressed. “You know how to support the team.”
“I do,” agreed Pinkie Pie. “Look at Flash Sentry. Isn’t he cute?” She pointed at Canter-lot High’s star player.
Twilight Sparkle blushed. “He keeps waiting for me at my locker,” she confided to Pinkie Pie.
“Ooooooh!” Pinkie exclaimed singsongily.
“What do you think it means?” Twilight Sparkle wondered out loud.
Pinkie Pie laughed. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you in class, and he likes you because he likes you. That’s what I think it means.”
“It’s not just because I look like Princess Twilight?” That was one of Twilight’s lurking fears—that these girls liked her only because she looked like their old friend. What would happen when they found out what she was really like? What if she turned into Midnight Sparkle again? Would they still like her?
On the court, the referee blew the whistle, and soon after, Flash Sentry took a shot. The ball flew into the basket. Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie jumped to their feet, cheering. Twilight Sparkle noticed Sunset Shimmer had just shown up and called out to her, “Hey, Sunset, we’re up here!”
The moment Sunset Shimmer sat down beside her, Pinkie Pie began telling her all about Flash Sentry. The girls giggled together.
“What are you talking about?” asked Twilight Sparkle over the roar of the crowd.
“Sunset Shimmer knows everything about Flash Sentry,” said Pinkie Pie. “Because she went out with him a long time ago, and she thinks he likes you, too.”
Sunset Shimmer nodded. “And not just because you look like Princess Twilight. I think he really likes you.”
“That’s what I said!” announced Pinkie Pie.
Canterlot High scored another basket, and Twilight Sparkle jumped up again. But Sunset Shimmer and Pinkie Pie didn’t join her; they were too busy talking. Twilight felt a little left out. But did she have to? Maybe she shouldn’t give in to her doubts. Maybe she had to trust the ropes, like she had with Rainbow Dash. Maybe she should just let herself have fun.
The next time a player made a basket, she not only jumped up, but she let out a shout and a silly cheer she made up on the spot. She wanted to root for her new school. “Ice cream, ice cream, banana split! The Canterlot Wondercolts are a real big HIT!”
Pinkie Pie’s eyes widened. Her mouth dropped open.
Had Twilight Sparkle just made a fool of herself? Was she hopeless?
No.
With a delighted giggle, Pinkie Pie took up the cheer. “Ice cream, ice cream, banana split! The Canterlot Wondercolts are a real big HIT!”
Twilight joined in. Sunset joined in. Soon, everyone in the stands was chanting Twilight’s new cheer.
“You are such a goof!” Pinkie Pie laughed.
Twilight’s face fell. “I guess I’m not very cool,” she admitted to Pinkie Pie.
“Cool? Me neither! I’m a hot-pink Pinkie Pie!”
Twilight joined in the laughter. It was hard not to when you were with Pinkie Pie. She was just so fun and enthusiastic. She made Twilight feel all bubbly inside. Or maybe it was sparkly?
Sunset Shimmer was beaming at her. “It’s funny,” she said. “You are different than Princess Twilight, but you share something magical with her, too. I can feel it.”
“You can?” Twilight Sparkle felt pleased.
“Yes,” said Sunset Shimmer. “I really can.”
Best Friends Forever
After the basketball game, everyone poured into the Sweet Shoppe for hot chocolate, ice cream, and smoothies. Kids were talking about Canterlot High’s latest win. When the players showed up, including Flash Sentry, all the kids cheered. The place was bopping as kids sang along to DJ Pon-3’s tunes and danced. Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, and Sunset Shimmer, their arms linked happily, walked up to the counter.
“What can I get for you?” Mrs. Cake asked Pinkie Pie. “The usual?”
“Yes, please! With extra sprinkles.”
“I’ll have the same.” Twilight Sparkle smiled.
“Me too!” agreed Sunset Shimmer.
Mrs. Cake handed the girls giant hot chocolates with a mountain of whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles. They tried not to spill them as they crossed the room in search of seats.
“Hey, Sunset Shimmer!” Scootaloo called out.
“Hey,” Sunset Shimmer answered. “I’ll be right back,” she explained to Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie. She went over to catch up with the other girl.
Twilight Sparkle sat in the booth, sipping her hot chocolate and watching the other kids hang out. Rarity and Fluttershy arrived and wanted to hear all the news about t
he game. Rainbow Dash and Applejack came in, ordered smoothies, and slipped into the booth. They’d already heard about Twilight Sparkle’s great cheer. They started it up again, this time with a little change.
“Ice cream, ice cream, banana split! Twilight Sparkle is a real big HIT!”
Twilight Sparkle was both pleased and embarrassed. Here she was sitting in a booth, her friends all around her. This was what she had always dreamed about—and it was happening. She didn’t know how, but it was. Maybe friendship really was magic after all.
“A certain blue-haired basketball player hasn’t taken his eyes off of you!” whispered Rarity.
“Really?” Twilight Sparkle gasped, sneaking a peek at Flash Sentry.
“Really,” Sunset Shimmer said, coming over and nodding. She took a sip of her hot chocolate. “Ooh, yummy!”
“It is,” agreed Pinkie Pie. “Extra sprinkles are the best!”
“Agreed,” said all the girls together.
At the height of her happiness, Twilight Sparkle noticed the Crystal Prep girls sitting at a corner table. Sunny Flare was scowling as she scanned the room. Sour Sweet was drumming her fingers like she was bored. Sugarcoat was absorbed in her phone. Twilight Sparkle had always thought they were friends—but she suddenly realized that they never seemed to be having any fun together.
Rainbow Dash was whispering something to Rarity. Rarity nodded her head, smiling. “We need a sleepover,” she announced. “Tonight. My house. Get ready for the best spa party ever.”
“Yay!” exclaimed Pinkie Pie.
“That sounds like a blast,” said Sunset Shimmer.
“Doesn’t it?” Fluttershy smiled.
“I can live through the primping.” Rainbow Dash sighed. “As long as we can play some Flashlight Tag after we’re done.”
All the girls laughed. “Of course we will,” said Rarity.
Twilight Sparkle glanced over at the other table. She had a feeling inside about the right thing to do. It was like the feeling she had when she made the cheer. “Can we invite the girls from Crystal Prep?” she asked.
