by Perdita Finn
“I don’t really know,” said Pinkie Pie. “I’ve tried to show everyone how fun the fashion show is going to be, but nobody is buying tickets. Nobody. Not even DJ Pon-3. Not even Flash. I can’t imagine what’s going on. Nothing else is scheduled for tonight. I don’t even think there are any parties. Believe me, if there were, I would know.”
“That’s so strange,” said Rainbow Dash.
“I never imagined people wouldn’t come,” said Applejack.
“The athletes told me they loved the do-it-yourself fashion accessories,” said Rarity.
“It just doesn’t make any sense,” Fluttershy whispered.
“Unless,” said Applejack, “the Great and Powerful Trixie is getting mixed up in this in some way—”
“No,” interrupted Sunset Shimmer. “This isn’t Trixie’s fault.”
While her friends had been talking, Sunset Shimmer had been looking around the cafeteria, and what she saw had shown her what was going on. Kids were stealing sideways glances at her and then whispering and pointing at her. She was the gossip of the cafeteria. She’d been so happy to make things right with her friends that she had forgotten that the whole rest of the school had only seen the trouble she had made—the chaotic kitchen, the runaway rescues, and what must have looked like mean photos of Rarity on their fan site. To make sure that she was right, Sunset Shimmer got up to throw her trash in the garbage can. As she walked back to her table, she overheard what the kids were saying.
“Who knows what she’s planning this time? I just don’t want to be there.…”
“I’ve heard she’s called back the Sirens and they are going to take over the whole school.”
“But didn’t she help defeat them?”
“You never know.…”
“What’s she going to do to our school this time?”
“Is there any way to stop her?”
“Just don’t go to that fashion show. Stay home!”
Sunset Shimmer slumped back into her seat. “I’m sorry, everyone. This is all my fault. I’m not a pony anymore, and every time I try to be a real girl, I mess it up. I’m a failure at everything.” She put her head in her hands, defeated.
Her friends tried to console her, but just as they were trying to reassure her that everything would be all right, Principal Celestia dropped by their table. “I just want to say, girls, that you really seem to have pulled this together. I’m proud of you. I really am.”
Sunset Shimmer shook her head. “But she’s going to be so disappointed when she sees that empty auditorium. And it’s all my fault. All I’ve done is create another school-wide disaster.”
“I think we’ve got to advertise that new song you said you were going to write for us,” said Pinkie Pie. “No one will be able to resist that.”
Sunset Shimmer gulped, remembering her promise at the sleepover. She had totally forgotten about the song. She smiled weakly. “Right. The new song. I’ll come up with something. But that still doesn’t solve the problem of how suspicious everyone is of me.” “We’ll figure out something,” said Fluttershy.
“We always do,” agreed Applejack.
Sunset Shimmer shook her head. “I don’t think so. I think this time I’ve just gone too far.”
“Nonsense!” Pinkie Pie perked up. “Everyone wants to come to the fashion show. You know they do! Music! Animals! Fashion! What’s the problem? What we have to do is just find some way to get people excited about it again. They want to be excited.”
Sunset Shimmer looked at Pinkie Pie with amazement. Nothing ever spoiled her day. She was a ray of bubblegum-colored sunshine, always eager to look at the bright side of things and make everyone happy. What a gift she had. How could Sunset Shimmer have ever imagined that there was any more powerful magic than that?
Pinkie Pie was rattling off a list of ideas. “We could throw a raffle and offer a free concert to the person who wins. Or we could promise some big surprise, but we’d have to figure out what it was. Or maybe we just need more balloons!”
The girls were putting their heads together.
“I like the raffle idea,” said Applejack.
“But will it work?” wondered Rainbow Dash.
Sunset Shimmer cleared her throat. “No,” she said. “That’s not what we need to do. In fact, the rest of you have done enough already. This is up to me. I’m the one who has to prove to everyone that I’m not up to something dangerous. That’s what they’re scared of—me. And the only way I can prove to them that I’m different now is to show them. I’ve got to do it the same way that I’ve showed all of you. I wish I had more than an afternoon to do it in, but there it is.”
“Mighty big of you,” said Applejack.
“Mighty brave of you,” said Fluttershy.
“You think it will work?” asked Rarity.
Pinkie Pie clapped her hands. “Of course it will! I think Sunset Shimmer can do anything, and I think it’s going to be wonderful!”
Pinkie Pie’s optimism was just what Sunset Shimmer needed.
With Flying Colors
When Sunset Shimmer stood up, she felt everyone’s eyes on her. She realized that if she did anything showy, kids would say that she was just pretending to be nice or, even worse, up to something. Whatever she did, it had to happen naturally—that was the way Rainbow Dash was at her best, and she would just have to trust, the way Pinkie Pie did, that the rest of the day would offer her opportunities to show the whole school that she wasn’t power-hungry anymore.
And it did.
On her way to class from lunch, she saw a girl standing in front of her locker. An avalanche of papers, books, and pencils had fallen out of it. Everything that should have been in her locker was on the floor.
“Here,” said Sunset Shimmer, rushing over. “Let me help you with that.”
The girl gasped and jumped back, clearly frightened.
But Sunset Shimmer collected her books and papers and handed them to her. “There. My locker gets like that this time of year, too.”
Sunset Shimmer walked off down the hallway. She was tempted to look back, but she didn’t. If this was going to work, she was going to have to trust in the real magic of friendship. That didn’t involve plotting and planning, shortcuts, and second-guessing. It just meant being a good friend.
Kids cleared a path for Sunset Shimmer in the hallway, and she kept her head down, trying to focus on people who needed her help. This was going to take time, step by step, just like baking. She was about to go into math class when she heard a quiet sob from the stairwell. Someone was crying. Who could it be?
Sunset Shimmer was stunned to discover the Great and Powerful Trixie sitting on the steps with tearstained cheeks. “What’s the matter?” she asked, walking over.
“Nothing!” said Trixie, collecting herself. “Nothing at all.”
“Really?” persisted Sunset Shimmer. “It doesn’t look that way.”
“It’s just that I thought there was going to be all this drama again.”
Sunset Shimmer nodded, listening carefully. “Why would you want that?” she asked.
“Well, I thought maybe you’d stop being friends with the Sonic Rainbooms, and, well, then you and I could team up.…”
“You’ve been spreading rumors about me so that nobody wants to come to the fashion show,” realized Sunset Shimmer.
Trixie shrugged. “Maybe.”
Sunset Shimmer sat down beside Trixie. “I’d like to be friends with you, Trixie. You’ve got a lot of energy. You really do. It’s kind of amazing. But I’m also friends with the Sonic Rainbooms. After all, they’ve stayed friends with me despite everything I’ve done.”
Trixie sniffed.
No one ever wanted to feel left out. Trixie didn’t. Sunset Shimmer didn’t. With a start, she realized there were lots of kids who had a hard time finding their place in school and making friends. Maybe the way Fluttershy helped rescue pets, she could help people who needed a friend—even if it was just someone to sit with at l
unch or invite to a sleepover. Maybe the best way to learn about friendship was being friends with all different kinds of people.
“Hey, I have an idea,” Sunset Shimmer suggested. “Why don’t you help us with the fashion show tonight?”
Trixie brightened. “Really? What can I do?”
Sunset Shimmer smiled. “We do need help getting more people to come tonight. Ticket sales haven’t been great.…”
“I can sell tickets!” exclaimed Trixie.
“Yeah!” said Sunset Shimmer. “Thank you so much.” She gave Trixie a big hug before dashing off to math class just before the door closed.
She slipped into the desk right beside Flash Sentry. He was erasing something on a work sheet. Poor Flash! He struggled in math class.
“Hey, Flash,” she whispered. “You want any help with that problem?”
Flash shook his head. He was just like everyone else. He didn’t trust her. Could she blame him?
It wasn’t right to give him the answer. That was show-offy. What could she do?
Maybe he just needed a little bit of help, a hint, and then he could figure it out on his own. “Try subtracting the three,” she whispered.
“What? Oh!” Flash’s eyes widened. “I get it! Thank you, Sunset Shimmer.”
“You’re welcome, Flash.” Maybe he wasn’t so bad at math after all. He figured that out pretty fast. “You don’t have any advice about songwriting, by any chance, do you?”
“Songwriting?”
“Yeah, I’ve got to come up with some lyrics for a new song.”
“Just have fun!”
“That’s what Pinkie Pie would say.”
“Pinkie Pie’s usually right,” said Flash.
The rest of Sunset Shimmer’s day was filled with good deeds and simple friendliness.
By the time the bell rang, Sunset Shimmer thought she would be exhausted. But she wasn’t. Her classes had sped by, and each simple act of kindness had given her a little jolt of energy. She was the first of the Sonic Rainbooms to get to the auditorium. Still, she didn’t have a song yet—and she didn’t know how to write one.
Dear Twilight Sparkle, she wrote. Do you have any advice about writing a song? How can I have fun when I do it?
An answer appeared instantaneously. Just remember you don’t have to win any competitions. You don’t have to be the best songwriter or write a hit tune. What do you really want? You want to make sure you show you’ve changed.
That was it, realized Sunset Shimmer. She’d just tell everyone that she’d grown since she first got to Canterlot High—and that was easy. Sunset pulled out a note Rarity had slipped into her locker earlier. As she unfolded the paper, she revealed elaborate dress designs. Rarity was designing something special just for Sunset’s performance. Sunset felt loved—and like she belonged.
“What are you doing in here all by yourself?” asked Rainbow Dash, sitting down beside her. “You ready to jam?”
“I am!” Sunset Shimmer laughed. “And I think I’ve got my song ready. Have you heard how the tickets are selling?”
“Not a clue,” said Rainbow Dash. “We’ll find out tonight. Although Trixie and Pinkie Pie together make a pretty convincing team. I don’t think anyone was allowed to get on the bus without buying one.”
After she finished laughing, Sunset Shimmer turned to Rainbow Dash. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Anything,” Rainbow Dash answered promptly.
Sunset Shimmer took a breath. “This whole week you didn’t say one mean thing to me. It’s not that I nearly ruined the fashion show, I nearly ruined your team’s chances for new uniforms.”
“But it was your idea in the first place to have the fashion show. Your first instinct was to do something good for your friends. You’ve got a good heart, Sunset Shimmer.”
“Really?” Sunset Shimmer was very surprised.
“Yep,” said Rainbow Dash. “It’s just hard sometimes to find your place on the team. To know how best to play your position. If you know what I mean.”
“But I don’t have any special talents like the rest of you.…”
“Isn’t being a friend the most special thing of all? Being on a team is not about being a star—it’s about working together.”
No wonder all the kids on the soccer team looked up to Rainbow Dash. It wasn’t because she was the best kicker or got the most goals. No. It was because she was loyal to the team itself. She knew it took a team to win the game. She valued every player. She was loyal.
Rainbow Dash stood up. “Help me set up the amps? It’s time to rock our new uniforms!”
“Absolutely,” said Sunset Shimmer. “There’s nothing I want to do more in the whole world!”
Sunset Shimmer Shines
Sunset Shimmer peeked out from behind the curtains. The audience was beginning to fill up! Out in the lobby, Pinkie Pie and Trixie were collecting tickets and Applejack was selling donuts. Backstage, Rarity was helping the athletes get into their uniforms to model them. Fluttershy was tying the last bows and ribbons on the kittens and puppies. Rainbow Dash was checking on the amps and tuning her guitar.
Sunset Shimmer had been very busy this last hour. She had run to the cafeteria to find the paper cups for Applejack’s cider. She had soothed a nervous kitten. She had helped set up the band’s equipment. When she realized that there was nothing else she could do, she checked her journal and saw it glowing. Twilight Sparkle had written her.
I am so proud of you, Sunset Shimmer. I know this past week hasn’t been easy, but you haven’t given up, and I think you will find as the days pass that there is even more magic to friendship than you can possibly imagine. Who knows what surprises are in store for you? Your friend always and forever, Twilight Sparkle
Sunset Shimmer held her journal close. It was almost as if the magic glow radiated right into her heart. She felt warm and happy. What would she have done without Twilight Sparkle? She hoped that someday she could be as helpful to someone else as the Princess of Friendship had been to her.
DJ Pon-3 was spinning some discs as the audience got settled. Rainbow Dash hurried over to Sunset Shimmer and noticed the full auditorium.
“That’s a lot of tickets!” exclaimed Sunset Shimmer.
“That’s a whole new set of soccer uniforms!” Rainbow Dash was beaming. “Think we should dim the lights soon?”
“Whenever you’re ready,” said Sunset Shimmer.
Rainbow Dash squeezed Sunset Shimmer’s hand. “Thank you for everything,” she whispered.
The glow in Sunset Shimmer’s heart was even brighter.
As they lined up for their turn on the runway, the athletes were comparing their decals.
“I chose a pony!”
“I’ve got a rainbow!”
“I put a sunset on mine,” exclaimed one girl, “because we owe our new uniforms to Sunset Shimmer.”
Sunset Shimmer blushed. “It was teamwork,” she said. “Lots of teamwork.”
The audience cheered and applauded as the athletes modeled their new look. The music blasted. A disco ball filled the auditorium with sparkly lights. After the soccer team and the field hockey girls paraded, Fluttershy’s animals wiggled and wobbled in their adorable outfits down the runway.
“They are too sweet!” said someone in the audience.
“Oh, I want a kitten,” announced one of the soccer players.
“Me too!”
“Me too!”
Fluttershy couldn’t believe it. At intermission, everyone was coming up to her in the lobby and asking how they could adopt new pets from the shelter. When she had a free moment, Fluttershy gave Sunset Shimmer a hug. “I just thought this would be a good way to raise money for the sports teams. I didn’t realize it was going to help the animals find homes. What a night you’ve helped us create, Sunset Shimmer.”
“That sure is the truth!” said Applejack. “I’ve sold every treat. Every one! Best bake sale ever!”
“All right, girls,” said Pinkie Pie, bou
ncing over. “The hard work of the night is done and it’s time to rock! You girls ready to sing?”
“Yes!” they shouted together.
As the group headed toward the stage, Rarity pulled Sunset aside.
“You’ll simply shine in this,” Rarity said as she handed Sunset a garment bag.
Sunset gasped as she unzipped it to reveal a stunningly gorgeous dress.
Rarity beamed. “We don’t have much time before curtain! Let me help you into it.”
Behind the closed curtain, the girls took their places. Rainbow Dash picked up her guitar. Applejack tuned her bass, and Rarity positioned her fingers over her keytar. Pinkie Pie was on the drums. Fluttershy had her tambourine, and Sunset Shimmer was ready to sing backup harmonies. Only she’d discovered that she liked hearing her voice blend with the voices of her friends. She really did.
The lights dimmed. The audience became quiet. The curtains opened, and Rarity strummed her guitar.
“We’re all different,
But our music is the same.
It’s the sound of friendship.
It’s in the rhythm of our names.
Fluttershy listens and never drops a beat.
Pinkie Pie’s tempo keeps you tapping your feet.
Rarity’s playing keeps us all in tune,
And Sunset’s vocals shimmer over the moon.
Applejack’s notes make you want to sing,
And, Rainbow Dash, she riffs on everything!”
As each girl’s name was sung, she began to pony up. First ears appeared and then manes and finally tails. They pranced and danced as the magic took over. The audience was singing along and swaying from side to side. The disco ball was turning. The lights were glittering. But as the girls’ voices reached their final harmonies, something else happened in the auditorium.
“Ooooh!”
“Aahhhh!”
“Wow!”
Tiny, sparkling rainbows were gently falling from the ceiling like snowflakes. Each one was a perfect shimmering arch of joyous colors. It was like enchanted butterflies had filled the room. What a special effect! How had the girls done it?
