Hey people! Welcome back to the show. I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I know I did! I got a freaking keytar! Anyways, I was going to upload this on Christmas…but I couldn't get it out on time. So consider this a late Christmas present from me to you! So, will things get better? We shall see! And…I have great news: this story has officially hit 3000+ views! I can't thank you guys enough for your continued support! It doesn't matter if you're a loyal reader or you just joined me, your support means everything to me! Before we start, I want to plug a few stories. The Vigilante of Canterlot High by Starshine89, and Power Rangers Equestrian Force by Webbowriter. These two use my OC, Coppermane, and they're solid stories. Lastly, Fluttershy 2059123 has written a great story called The Cry for Help. It's short, but very heartfelt, and I highly recommend it! These authors did not ask me to mention their stories, I did it because I felt like it. Go check them out and show them some love, because these three are amongst my most loyal readers! Anyways, let's get this show on the road!

PREPARE YOSELFS: This chapter is super long! It's the moment you've all been waiting for, and I hope you all like it. Buckle up, cause it's gonna get bumpy!

Thanks to my reviewers of the last chapter: lily lupin potter, MMM, bluecatcinema, Webbowriter (PM), Elizabeth Fire Ice Heart, Omegafrost, D.N.S Akina, Fluttershy 2059123, and Starshine89. I don't own any of the MLP FiM characters, but I DO own Coppermane, and the plot. Enjoy!

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Loveliest of Trees

Ch.14: Empathy is Magic

Time: 2:25 PM, Tuesday, CHS (Hallways), Days Until Formal: 4

"Hoops!" Score said, running up to his friend in the hallways.

"Huh?" Hoops said, turning towards his friend. "What's up, Score?"

Score chuckled. "You're never going to believe what I just heard."

"What?" Hoops asked curiously.

"Our plan worked," Score said with a smug look on his face, "Coppermane and Fluttershy are no more!"

"Wait, are you serious?!" Hoops asked with a smile on his face. "How'd you find out?"

"I overheard some of his friends talking about it," Score said. "They were saying things about how Fluttershy is 'so heartbroken', and how she 'misses him so much'."

Hoops stifled a laugh. "Why is she upset? We did her a freaking service! Now she never has to deal with that loser again."

"Some people just don't get it," Score said, shaking his head.

"Well, either way, balance has been restored, thanks to us," Hoops said.

"And more importantly, our hands our completely clean," Score said with a smirk. "They were going on and on about how much they hate Trixie. She and Coppermane are taking all the blame."

Hoops smiled. "Hopefully that loser knows his place now. He only has himself to blame. He never should've gone out of his league."

Score laughed. "By the way, have you seen him at all today?"

Hoops shook his head. "He was probably too heartbroken to even get out of bed today," he said with a smirk.

"What a wimp!" Score said, making both of them laugh. They walked to the exit together, laughing in satisfaction at their success. Unbeknownst to them, someone had been eavesdropping on their conversation.

Trixie had heard everything, and the level of guilt she felt was almost unbearable. But she was also angry. Not only did they use her to ruin Coppermane's relationship, but also as a blame shield. The nerve…

She watched the jocks walk away, seething in anger, and filled with guilt. Coppermane probably hated her now. She never liked him like that, but she only agreed to do it because the jocks blackmailed her. Now, she didn't even care if her secrets got leaked out…she just wanted this guilt to go away.

Trying to pull herself together, she walked towards the music practice room so she could rehearse with her band for the music showcase. As she walked, she clenched her teeth in anger at the jocks…

---

Time: 6:00 PM, Tuesday, Flash Sentry's House

Today was Coppermane's first day practicing with Flash Drive, and it had been going alright so far. It was a somewhat stressful atmosphere though, mostly because they had only three days to get another song ready. Even so, they had been practicing for the past two and a half hours, so they decided to take a thirty-minute break. During this break, Coppermane sat at the dinner table and remained silent. He looked like he was working on something. Flash Sentry assumed it was homework, so he let him be. Flash assumed Coppermane might be a little on edge too. He probably still missed Fluttershy, and wanted to give him some time to think.

Now, it was time to get back to work. Flash and the band made their way to his garage to continue, and were just about ready…except Coppermane was taking a long time. Flash guessed he was putting his stuff away, so he gave him a couple minutes. Now…they were going on five. This was taking too long.

"Wait here, guys. I'll go see what's up," Flash told his band-mates. They nodded at him as he walked back into the house. Flash entered the kitchen area to see that Coppermane hadn't left his seat. He was still working on whatever from before. A little annoyed, Flash walked up to Coppermane.

"Copper? Did you hear me? It's time to get back to work," Flash said.

"Yeah, I'll be there, just…give me a minute," Coppermane said in a melancholy tone.

"We've been waiting on you for a while now," Flash said, getting impatient. "We only have three days to get this song ready. We need to get back to work." He looked at what he was working on, and it seemed to be an essay of some sort. "What's that?"

Coppermane looked up at Flash, and his eyes were a little bloodshot. Had he been crying?

Coppermane sighed. "It's…um…it's a love letter…" He looked down in shame. "I'm sorry…it's just…I miss her so much…" he said, choking up a little.

Flash pat his friend on the back, trying to comfort him. "I know you miss her, and I know you're really hurting right now, but writing her a love letter isn't going to win her back. You and I have something amazing planned for her, and the moment of truth will be this Friday. You can worry about winning her back then, but for now, we have work to do. We only have three days to get this song ready, and if you want any chance at winning Fluttershy back, you need to practice. I want to help you, but I need your cooperation."

Coppermane sighed. It was hard to put his emotions away. He missed Fluttershy so much. He just wanted to hold her in his arms one more time. Feel her warmth…brush her hair…keep her safe…kiss her sweet lips…

But thinking ahead, he knew that if he wanted to get the results he wanted, he needed to practice. That meant shoving his emotions off to the side until the showcase. Their plan involved Coppermane singing a solo with the band accompanying him. He would be singing a song that always made him think about Fluttershy. Flash was right. If he wanted any shot at winning Fluttershy back, he needed to practice.

But he knew the rest of the girls were mad too. This wasn't just to win Fluttershy back, but also to win his best friends back. He thought about those incriminating pictures, and saw them through the girls' eyes. More importantly, he tried to look through Fluttershy's eyes, and he couldn't help but feel their anger. If he found out that Fluttershy had kissed another guy behind his back, Copper would be beside himself. In reality, Copper didn't do anything, but the girls didn't know that, and looking through their eyes, he realized that they have every right to be furious with him.

There was so much riding on this performance: his friends, Fluttershy, and basically, his entire life. If he failed, who knows what Coppermane would do?

Copper knew that he couldn't be selfish about this either. He would be performing with them on all their other songs as well, and needed to practice with those too. They were counting on him.

Besides, he kind of had to learn a new instrument. Flash had convinced him to take up keytar to allow for more mobility onstage. He was hesitant at first, but once he picked it up, he realized that it was very similar to piano, so he went with it. He still needed to get used to it, though. All the more reason to practice, right?

Coppermane sighed and looked at Flash. "Sorry…I'll…I'll get my crap together." Coppermane opened his backpack and put his love letter inside. "Have you asked Twilight to the formal yet?" he asked.

Flash was a little surprised to hear him ask this, considering how he was feeling right now. "Um…not yet. I was planning on asking her tomorrow."

Coppermane zipped his backpack up. "Cool. Hope she says yes. I know she will though," he said with a wink.

Flash was even more surprised. "Well…thanks. Didn't think you'd be so optimistic."

"What makes you think I wouldn't be?" Coppermane said.

"Well…considering what you're going through right now, I figured you might be a little cynical towards something like that," Flash said.

"I mean…yeah, I'm still pretty sore about Fluttershy, but that doesn't mean I'll berate you and Twilight. I'm not one of those people. You seemed a little unsure of yourself at the mall, so I wanted to wish you luck. Trust me, I know exactly how you feel…I'm unsure of myself all the time. You're my friend, and even though she's mad at me, I still consider Twilight one my friends as well, so of course I still support you two. You're really great together. I know she's gonna say yes." Coppermane said, putting his hand on Flash's shoulder.

Flash was happy to hear this. Coppermane and Fluttershy were done, but he was still optimistic about him and Twilight. His empathy was admirable.

"Thanks, bro," Flash said with a smile. And with that, the two of them adjourned to the garage to continue practicing.

---

Time: 2:30 PM, Wednesday, CHS (Hallways), Days Until Formal: 3

"What did you want to talk to me about, Flash?" Twilight asked.

Flash had brought Twilight to a more private area in the hallways to ask her something. Twilight was curious as to what it was. He seemed really nervous all day, and he wouldn't tell her why. Maybe now he would shed some light on the subject?

"Twilight, do you remember when we were at the mall the other day?" Flash asked.

"Of course I do," Twilight said with a smile.

"Well, I was wandering around with Coppermane, helping him find something for Fluttershy…and I found something that made me think of you," Flash said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small jewelry box.

Twilight's eyes went wide. "For…for me?" she asked.

"Of course," Flash said, chuckling. He handed the box over to Twilight. She looked up at him, as if she was waiting for the okay to open it. Flash smiled and nodded, indicating that she could. Twilight opened it, and inside was a beautiful, gold-chain necklace with a medium-sized amethyst pendant in the middle in the shape of a four-point star.

"Flash, it's beautiful. Thank you so much!" Twilight said, pulling Flash into a hug.

Flash gave her a kiss on the forehead. "I'm glad you like it, because that's only part one."

"Part one? What's part two?" Twilight asked curiously.

"Well, I was wondering if you would be interested in going to the formal with me," Flash said with a timid smile.

Twilight gasped. Her eyes went wide, and pulled Flash into another hug. "Is that even a question? Of course I'll go with you!"

Flash chuckled to himself as he held Twilight. Her response was absolutely perfect. It made all of his apprehension before seem silly. Either way, Twilight said yes, and now he could take a breather. Twilight pulled back after a while, and tried putting on her necklace. Rarity had shown her how before, but she was still getting used to having hands instead of magic. Flash helped her a little bit, which she didn't mind at all. She liked it when he played with her hair. Once the necklace was finally hooked, Twilight adjusted it a little on her own.

"Pretty as always," Flash said, making Twilight blush. Flash leaned down to give Twilight a kiss, making all of his worries fade away. Her lips were so sweet.

They pulled away after a few seconds, still holding each other.

"So…how's Fluttershy doing?" Flash asked.

Twilight's face went somber. "Not so good. She misses Coppermane so much. I've never seen her this heartbroken before. Poor thing…"

"That's a shame," Flash said sympathetically.

"Maybe we shouldn't tell Fluttershy about this?" Twilight said.

"Yeah…probably for the best…" Flash said. The couple didn't want to make Fluttershy feel worse than she already did.

"Alright, I gotta get going. Band practice," Flash said.

"Yeah, me too. I can't believe the showcase is this Friday!" Twilight said.

"And so end-of-the-world threats this time," Flash remarked.

Twilight laughed, "I know, right?" Flash gave her one more kiss before the couple parted ways for the day to practice with their respective bands.

---

Time: 3:30 PM, Thursday, CHS (Music Room), Days Until Formal: 2

"Alright, girls, take five. Great work so far," Rainbow Dash said to her friends. They all put down their instruments and went for their water bottles, or just sat down for a minute. "We are totally gonna rock it at the showcase tomorrow!"

"And no Sirens this time!" Sunset said, making the group laugh. This time around, the musical showcase had no real stakes involved. It was just students making music for the rest of the school to watch. No battle of the bands, and again, no Sirens. It would just be a friendly showcase of the hidden talents among CHS. This time, the Rainbooms could just have fun, which was a huge relief to them. Although, not everybody in the group was so optimistic.

Fluttershy sat down in a chair alone, not saying anything. She's never felt more depressed in her life. She missed Coppermane so much. She put on a happy face when they practiced, but on the inside, her heart was still mending. Her friends were doing their best to try and cheer her up. They told her that she deserves better, that Coppermane threw away the best thing that's ever happened to him. They tried things like taking her to the pet store, showing her online videos of various animals, Fluttershy even tried her go-to method of holding Angel, but nothing was working. All Fluttershy wanted was for Coppermane to hold her one more time. She wanted to feel safe in his arms again. She wanted to feel his warmth. She wanted to kiss him again, and brush his hair. A tear ran down her face.

Rarity saw Fluttershy starting to cry, and walked over to her. She pulled up a chair, and sat next to her, pulling her into an embrace.

"Come here, darling," Rarity said, rubbing Fluttershy's back to try and comfort her.

Fluttershy's breathing was shaky. "Rarity…I miss him so much…"

"I know, sweetness…I know," Rarity said sympathetically.

The other girls saw Fluttershy crying on Rarity's shoulder, and felt a tug at their heartstrings. They've never seen her so depressed. They were used to her being quiet, just by nature, but she was always a very happy girl. So optimistic and hopeful, in spite of her timidity. But this was completely different. She had such a forlorn expression on her face, and it's been this way since last Monday. It was no secret why she was upset: Coppermane. They knew she didn't want to break up with him, but it had to be done. A cheating boyfriend is unacceptable. Fluttershy deserves better.

Applejack walked over and placed her hand on Fluttershy's shoulder. "How 'bout this, sugarcube. When we're done with practice, we're all gonna take you out to dinner." Applejack looked around, and saw everyone smiling at her, indicating that they were in agreement. "Would that cheer you up, hon?"

Fluttershy lifted her head from Rarity's shoulder to see all her friends looking at her with sympathy in their eyes. She was upset, sure, but she was extremely grateful for having some of the most caring friends a girl could ask for.

She nodded at Applejack, making the girls smile. "That…That sounds nice," she said weakly, choking up. She managed a small smile and sniffled. "Th-Thanks…"

"It's going to be okay, Fluttershy," Sunset said, walking over to her, and placing her hand on her shoulder. "It just takes time." Fluttershy gave a small smile. And with that, the Rainbooms resumed practice, with Fluttershy feeling a little better, but still depressed. For the band though, she tried to put on a happy face.

---

**Rarity to Fluttershy, 9:30 PM**

You know, if it makes you feel any better, do you remember when I told you about Blueblood?

**Fluttershy to Rarity, 9:33 PM**

Of course. He's taking you to the formal, right?

**Rarity to Fluttershy, 9:36 PM**

Well, actually, he cancelled.

**Fluttershy to Rarity, 9:39 PM**

What?! Why?

**Rarity to Fluttershy, 9:41 PM**

He wouldn't tell me. But see? You're not alone :)

**Fluttershy to Rarity, 9:43 PM**

Yeah, I guess. Are you okay?

**Rarity to Fluttershy, 9:48 PM**

Yes, I'm okay. If I'm being honest, he was bit of a stick in the mud.

**Fluttershy to Rarity, 9:50 PM**

So, are you going to the formal without a date then?

**Rarity to Fluttershy, 9:53 PM**

I guess so, but I have all of you, so it'll be fun! And we're all here for you too, darling. We know you're upset, and if you ever want to talk to any of us, or you just want company, we're always here for you :)

**Fluttershy to Rarity, 9:56 PM**

Thank you so much, Rarity. Have a good night :)

**Rarity to Fluttershy, 10:00 PM**

Good night, sweetness :)

**…**

---

Time: 7:00 PM, Friday, CHS Amphitheater, Days Until Formal: 1

The musical showcase was finally here, and it was in full swing. The energy throughout the amphitheater was invigorating. Practically every performance thus far was receiving a standing ovation, save for Snips and Snails and their freestyle rap. They were slightly better than last year, but they were still pretty bad. Except for a few moments that were so bad they were funny, it was rather cringe worthy. Everybody else, however, has been fantastic. It was wonderful, because this year, it wasn't a battle of the bands. There weren't any Sirens around to create a negative atmosphere. There wasn't any threat of being eliminated from the event. It was just musicians going onstage, and showcasing their talents for the rest of the school. Lyra Heartstrings and Sweetie Drops, the Illusions, Vinyl Scratch and Octavia Melody, some of the eco-kids, the CHS band, and soon to come, the CHS up tempo a cappella choir, the Rainbooms, the Crusaders, and last but not least, Flash Drive.

The Rainbooms were currently backstage, watching the CHS up tempo choir perform while getting ready to go on after them. They were all dressed up in their elaborate band outfits, with face-paint around their left-eyes of their signature symbol.

"Are you girls ready?" Vice Principal Luna asked, walking up to them with a clipboard.

"We're always ready!" Rainbow Dash said enthusiastically.

"You bet we are!" Sunset Shimmer said.

"I can't sit still!" Pinkie Pie said.

Vice Principal Luna smiled. "Well, go out when you hear Principal Celestia announce you girls. Break a leg!"

"Thanks, Vice Principal Luna!" the girls all said. She walked away, and the girls went back to watching the Crusaders.

Fluttershy was being her usual nervous self…but she was also trying to push her emotions off to the side. She was secretly hoping that Coppermane would be out there to watch them perform. They may not be together anymore, but she still wanted to make him proud.

Sunset looked over at Fluttershy, and saw her gripping her tambourine nervously while looking down at the ground. She walked over to Fluttershy and placed her hand on her shoulder. Fluttershy looked up at Sunset, who smiled sympathetically and knowingly at her. Fluttershy let out a depressed sigh, and Sunset pulled her into a hug. They stayed in this embrace until the choir came offstage. They released each other, and then braced themselves for going onstage.

"And now, CHS, give a big round of applause for…the Rainbooms!" Principal Celestia announced, to which the audience went crazy. And with that, the girls walked out onstage, and took their places. Pinkie Pie counted them off, and they were on their way.

…

-(Songs: Rainbow Rocks, Friendship Through the Ages, Shake Your Tail, & Shine Like Rainbows- Go to my profile for a link to the song playlist for this story!)-

The Rainbooms' part of the concert was in full swing, and the Rainbooms were rocking it. They all ponied up at each of the songs' choruses, making the audience cheer every time. Their magic had become their trademark, and it made for a very spectacular performance.

Fluttershy took random glances out into the audience, trying to see if Coppermane was out there, but there were too many people. She managed to maintain a happy face throughout their performance. She really was having fun, but she was really hoping Coppermane was out there somewhere. But…unbeknownst to her and the rest of the girls…he was.

Coppermane was in the audience with Flash Sentry. Flash was watching with excitement, but Coppermane was trying to lay low, and remain incognito to the girls. He had his hood up, hoping that it would conceal his presence from the girls until they went onstage. As far as he knew, they had no idea he was in Flash Sentry's band now. Seeing them onstage tugged at his heartstrings. He hadn't seen them all week, and he really missed them. But most of the time, his attention was fixated on Fluttershy. When he saw her walk out onstage, his heart skipped a beat. She looked amazing in the outfit she was wearing. Pink boots with green butterflies, a green butterfly in her hair, a purple skirt, a pink belt with a pink butterfly buckle, and a green, black, and pink sleeveless top. Her hair had purple, yellow, and green streaks, was bumped up in the back, and more coiffed in the front. She had pink flower bracelets, and pink face-paint of a butterfly around her left eye. This elaborate outfit, along with being ponied up, made her look amazing, and Coppermane couldn't stop looking at her. Her beauty was breathtaking.

But then, Fluttershy did something that took Coppermane's breath away. During Friendship Through the Ages, for the first time ever, Coppermane heard Fluttershy sing. She had, by far, the sweetest, most beautiful voice he's ever heard in his life. It brought a tear to his eye. He's never heard her sing before, and it was like listening to an angel.

He was happy to lay eyes on her again…but it was bittersweet. She wasn't his anymore, and as he watched the girls perform, the stakes of his performance started becoming clearer. It made his stomach begin filling with butterflies, and he felt a little sick. If he failed…these amazing girls onstage would be lost. What would he do then?

…

The Rainbooms played the last chord of Shine Like Rainbows, and as their pony forms faded, the audience gave them a roaring standing ovation. The girls exited the stage, and when Fluttershy went off, Coppermane felt a tug at his heartstrings. However, before he could feel sad, Flash gave him a nudge. It was time. Coppermane took a deep breath, and followed Flash to the stage to get ready. They weren't next, but they followed the next band, and were required to wait backstage. As they neared the stage, Coppermane's stomach filled with more and more butterflies…

---

The Rainbooms had found their way into the audience, somehow managing to get a front-row spot. They watched in excitement as the Crusaders performed. Seeing some other bands perform was helping to cheer Fluttershy up. The collective energy in the amphitheater made it difficult to feel upset about anything, no matter how severe. Little did she know…the guy she loves was about to perform next.

Coppermane was backstage with the rest of Flash Drive getting ready. His stomach was filled to the brim with butterflies, and his heart-rate was dangerously high. He had taken his hoodie off because of the sweat pouring down his face, and his breathing started becoming faster and heavier.

Flash saw this and immediately tried to help. "Copper, dude, calm down…"

"Flash…there's too many people out there…I can't do this…" Copper said, on the verge of a panic attack.

"Yes you can," Flash said.

"What if I mess up? Everything will be ruined…" Copper said with wide eyes, breathing hard.

"You won't mess up," Flash said.

"But what if I do?!"

"Coppermane!" Flash snapped, silencing Coppermane, looking like he was on the verge of a breakdown. "Breathe…just breathe…" Flash then proceeded to take some deep breaths, trying to get Coppermane to do the same. "Deep breaths…relax…"

Coppermane eventually calmed down, but his adrenaline levels were still high.

"Coppermane, listen to me," Flash said, firmly gripping Copper's shoulders. "You're going to go out there with us, you're going to sing for Fluttershy, and win her back. I know the real reason why you're nervous, and if you follow through with our plan, she will be yours again. You're going to go out there, and you're going to win the girls back, and win Fluttershy back. You can do this."

Coppermane took a few more deep breaths, trying to calm himself down some more. He pondered for a moment, letting Flash's words sink in. He knew that he was just trying to boost his confidence, but Copper knew deep down that this was an incredibly big gamble. If they followed through with their plan, he could either win Fluttershy and the girls back, or he could completely humiliate himself and the band, further solidifying his reputation as the school loser. But even so, as big of a gamble as it was, the prize was too valuable. This was his last stand, and he couldn't back down. Fate was trying to take his friends away from him…take Fluttershy away from him…and he wasn't going down without a fight.

Suddenly, the Crusaders walked offstage, making Coppermane's heart drop. He looked at Flash, who had a knowing look on his face. Coppermane's face went determined, and gave Flash a smirk. Flash pat his shoulder, and walked into the wing to get ready to go on, with Copper right behind.

"And now, the last band of the night, please give a round of applause for…Flash Drive!" Principal Celestia announced.

Coppermane clenched his fist in determination. He cracked his knuckles, and walked out onstage with the band.

For Fluttershy…

---

"And now, the last band of the night, please give a round of applause for…Flash Drive!" Principal Celestia announced.

The audience went wild, especially the girls, hanging out in the front of the audience. The girls cheered for Flash, but then saw someone they did not expect to see, and went silent among the wild cheering of everyone else. Flash Drive had a new member, and the girls stood in total shock at whom it was.

"Coppermane?" Fluttershy said, shocked at seeing her ex-boyfriend on stage. Suddenly, her depression came back, hitting her like a rock, and her eyes began to tear up. The girls saw this, and immediately crowded around her, with Rarity giving her a hug to try and comfort her. Flash didn't tell them that Copper was going to perform with his band. As soon as Fluttershy started crying, they looked at Coppermane, and gave him cold looks, still spiteful for what he did to Fluttershy.

Coppermane looked out into the audience, and his gaze found its way to the front of the audience, where he found…the girls…and Fluttershy. The girls were giving him nasty looks, and he saw that Fluttershy was…crying? He felt his eyes starting to well up. It was almost too much for his heart to see Fluttershy cry. He could feel his heartstrings about to snap. He immediately wanted to jump down from the stage and give her a hug to comfort her…but he knew he couldn't. Tears were threatening to fall from his eyes, and he was fighting it off with every fiber of his being. He couldn't cry onstage. One tear, and it was game over. He looked down, trying to compose himself, and looked at Flash. He was already looking at him, waiting for the indication that he was ready to start. Flash mouthed, "Focus. You can do this," at him. Coppermane took a deep breath, and gave Flash a nod, signaling that he was ready to start. And with that, Flash Drive's segment of the concert began…

…

-(Songs: The Unwinding Cable Car & Cool Kids- Go to my profile for a link to the song playlist for this story!)-

Coppermane was responsible for playing chords and plucking certain melodies on the keytar. He was also given the job of singing some segments, along with some harmonies. It was simple, but he still felt nervous as all heck. He kept his gaze away from the front row. He could still feel the girls' cold stares on him, and if he saw Fluttershy crying while he was performing, he was screwed. He kept his focus on the music, and it seemed to be working. The audience appeared to be enjoying it.

Fluttershy lifted her head from Rarity's shoulder to watch the band perform. Her eyes were still quite bloodshot from crying. Her eyes were fixated on Coppermane the whole time. The band was dressed rather casually, including him. He was wearing his trademark outfit: a black graphic t-shirt with the white music staff and sparkles on it, and white shoes. The only outlier was the pair of slim jeans he had on. He looked really good in them, though he always looked good in Fluttershy's eyes. His hair gleamed so wonderfully with those unique copper highlights she loves so much, and the stage lights danced in his brown eyes. He was so cute and handsome. At first, when he came out onstage, she was happy to see him. It felt so long since she last saw him, but then another, more depressing thought occurred to her: he wasn't hers anymore. With this thought, she began to cry again. She looked back at Rarity, who looked down at her from watching Flash Drive. Rarity offered a sympathetic smile, and pulled her into an embrace, rubbing her back to try and comfort her.

…

Their second song ended, and as Flash struck the last chord, the audience roared with applause, giving another standing ovation. The only two who did not clap were Rarity and Fluttershy, with the former was still trying to comfort the latter. The rest of the girls saw that Fluttershy was continuing to cry on Rarity's shoulder, and couldn't help but worry.

Flash Sentry looked over at Coppermane, who was already looking at him. Flash rose his eyebrow, making Coppermane bite his lip. It was time. Coppermane gave him a nod, indicating that he was ready. Once the audience died down a little, Flash looked back out at the audience.

"Is everyone having fun tonight?" Flash asked the audience, to which they loudly applauded in agreement. "Awesome! Now, this next song will feature the newest member of our band. Ladies and gentlemen, make some noise for our new keytarist, and my best friend, Coppermane!"

The audience applauded loudly as Coppermane and Flash Sentry swapped microphones. The girls were the only ones not to clap. They were surprised enough to see Copper onstage with Flash Drive, but they never would've guessed that he would have a song featuring him. Fluttershy looked up briefly from Rarity's shoulder, but quickly put her head down again, still upset. The girls gave Coppermane cold looks as he made his way to the lead singer microphone.

Coppermane took a deep breath. His heart was pounding. "Thank you everybody. Um…before we go on…I want to dedicate this next song to my girlf—" he stopped himself, feeling a sting in his heart. He looked down, remembering the fact that she wasn't his girlfriend anymore.

Flash looked over at Coppermane, extremely worried. His head was down. What was he doing?

Copper took a deep breath, summoning his courage, and looked up to speak into the microphone again. He had to carry on. "Um…I want to dedicate this next song to…a very special girl in the audience." He looked down at the girls. "Fluttershy?"

The girls all gasped upon hearing their friend's name. Their expressions went from cold to shocked. Were they hearing things?

Fluttershy heard her name, and lifted her head from Rarity's shoulder, and turned to look at Coppermane at the lead singer microphone. Through tear-stained eyes, she could see the guy she loves looking down at her with nothing but adoration in his eyes, and a heart-melting smile. What was he doing?

"Fluttershy…I adore you. You're so amazing, and this song always makes me think about you. I…I hope you like it," he said with a smile.

The entire audience went "Aww" as the band began to play.

…

-(Song: You and Me- Go to my profile for a link to the song playlist for this story!)-

Coppermane's heart was on fire as he sang this song. Not only because it was a solo in front of the entire school, but because of what was at stake. But as he got further into the song, he felt his confidence slowly increasing. He looked down at Fluttershy, and saw her standing there with one hand over her heart, and the other over her mouth, her eyes gleaming. Coppermane couldn't stop smiling at her as he sang. He was really singing from the heart.

Fluttershy was beside herself. She recognized the song immediately after the first few chords, and felt her depression fade away. She stood completely still, covering her mouth and heart with her hands out of disbelief. Her eyes welled up with tears of joy. Hearing Coppermane's beautiful voice was amazing enough, but the fact that he was singing to her, and the way he was looking at her, took her breath away.

The girls stood in complete shock at what was happening. Was this really happening? They all looked at Fluttershy, and couldn't help but smile at her. At the same time, this immediately made them question what they thought about Coppermane and Trixie. Did Coppermane still have feelings for Fluttershy? If he did…what really happened in those pictures? Either way, it was a relief to see Fluttershy so happy after being depressed all week.

…

As they struck the last chord, the audience went wild, especially the girls. Well…the girls…except for Fluttershy. Fluttershy had tears streaming down her face, both her hands over her mouth in disbelief and happiness. Did that really just happen? She looked up at Coppermane, who was looking at her with that smile that made her heart melt every time. Did he still like her? What about Trixie?

Coppermane saw Fluttershy's eyes gleaming, and felt his eyes welling up. He looked at Flash Sentry, who gave him a smile and a nod. Time to execute part two. Coppermane nodded back, and turned his attention to the audience.

"Thank you everybody. Um…before we finish for the night, there's something I need to do," Coppermane said. He took the microphone off the stand, and slung his keytar behind his back. "Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy gasped upon hearing her name. What in the world was he up to? Coppermane jumped off the stage to the middle of the front row of the audience where the girls were located. The audience made a small clearing, with Coppermane and the girls in the middle of it all. Fluttershy stood there with her hands over her heart. Her friends stood close behind her, anxiously awaiting what would happen next. What Coppermane did was sweet, but they still didn't entirely trust him.

Coppermane and Fluttershy stood on opposite sides of the clearing, with Coppermane smiling and holding the microphone, and Fluttershy with both hands over her heart and tear-stained eyes. The audience was silent with some quiet commotion here and there, wondering what Coppermane was doing.

Flash Sentry was looking down at Fluttershy and Coppermane, his heart filling with hope.

You can do this, Coppermane.

Coppermane's heart was pounding as he looked at Fluttershy. Her eyes were bloodshot, tugging at Coppermane's heartstrings. He hated to think about Fluttershy crying. He smiled at her as he took a deep breath.

"H-Hi, Fluttershy," Coppermane said timidly.

Fluttershy managed a small, yet sincere smile. "H-Hi, Coppermane," she said shyly.

Coppermane smiled at her, but before he could say anything else…

"Nice show, loser!" a familiar voice said behind Coppermane. His expression grew spiteful as he clenched his fist and turned around. Sure enough…Hoops and Score, looking at him smugly with their arms crossed.

"You still trying to go for her?" Score said condescendingly.

Coppermane's heartrate began to rise as feelings of panic and rage simmered. This was the worst possible thing that could've happened. Hoops and Score. Why? Of all the times to harass him, it had to be now? But he couldn't back down. He couldn't. Not in front of everyone at CHS. Not in front of Fluttershy.

Coppermane took a deep breath. "Yes…I'm still trying to go after her," he said, trying to contain his frustration. "What's it to you?"

"Dude, you're done," Hoops said. "She's way out of your league. She knows what happened at the mall. She's seen the pictures."

"I know she has, but I have to tr—" Coppermane stopped dead in his tracks upon having an epiphany. "Wait…how do you know about what happened at the mall? And how do you know about the pictures?"

Hoops' heart dropped. He realized what he just said. He got cocky. He said too much. He looked back at Score who had a similar expression on his face.

The girls and Flash were confused. The only people who knew about the photos were the girls, Coppermane, Flash Sentry, and Trixie. The pictures were messaged privately to everyone, and Hoops and Score weren't included in that list. The only way they would know about it would be if they just happened to see them at the mall. Coppermane's eyes widened, coming to an appalling hypothesis.

"Did you do this?!" Coppermane said, his eyes filled with hate.

Hoops tried to play it off, but was failing miserably. "Um…well…we just…"

Score wasn't doing much to help. "You see…we…"

"It was all them!" a voice suddenly yelled out. Everyone turned to face the source to see Trixie walking out into the clearing. Upon seeing her, the girls and Coppermane began to boil with anger.

"Trixie, you are the last person I want to see right now," Coppermane said, clenching his fists.

"Hear me out! It was all them. That kiss wasn't real. It was all staged. Those two jerks planned the whole thing!" Trixie said desperately, pointing at Hoops and Score. "They blackmailed me to flirt with you and kiss you so they could take pictures of us, and make it look like you were cheating. I don't like you like that. It meant nothing. It was all staged. I…I couldn't take the guilt any longer. Hoops and Score planned it all. They're the ones to blame." Trixie looked at the girls with an apologetic look on her face. "He didn't cheat. It was all staged. It's all a hoax. The pictures are fake. He did nothing wrong."

Coppermane and his friends are shocked to hear this, but they weren't sure if they should believe her or not. At least, until Score made a fatal mistake.

"And throwing us under the bus like that wasn't part of the deal, Trixie!" Score yelled in anger, confirming everything Trixie just said. The jocks' hearts practically stopped, realizing what they had done. Busted.

The audience gasped in disbelief. The girls were appalled. This entire time, Coppermane was innocent. They immediately flashed back to when they were questioning Coppermane, and remembered how he was practically on his knees, begging for them to listen to him. And they didn't. They all felt terrible. They had blocked Coppermane out…for nothing.

Fluttershy wasn't sure if she should be happy, angry, or sad. Coppermane didn't cheat on her. He presumably still liked her, but this also meant she broke up with him for nothing. If she had just listened to him, this all could've been avoided. She felt horrible, and was mad at herself for not giving him a chance to explain himself.

Coppermane was furious. He was happy that Trixie had cleared everything up, but at the same time, the culprits were the same two bullies that have harassed him since day one. They were behind it all. He clenched his fists, breathing hard, his face seething with anger and hatred.

"You…" he said spitefully, approaching the jocks, "You did this? You caused all this crap to happen to me?! You ruined my life?!" He was practically yelling at this point.

Fluttershy was scared. She's never seen Coppermane so angry before, and she remembered what he told her about what happened at his old school. Him lashing out…

Coppermane wanted to go up to Hoops and Score and beat them to a pulp. He wanted to make them feel miserable. He wanted to let loose. He's never felt so enraged in his life. But…before he was about to punch Hoops in the face…flashbacks of his old school suddenly resurfaced, making him stop in his tracks. The haunting memory of everyone's shocked faces…the image of the jock on the ground in a puddle of his own blood…

The audience watched Coppermane in dead silence, anxious to see what was going to happen next. It looked like he was about to go berserk, but now he was standing completely still with his head down. What was he doing?

Coppermane couldn't do it. He couldn't lash out like he did at his old school. It wouldn't solve anything. In fact, it might make things worse. He would be no better than Hoops and Score, and he would alienate himself again, while probably getting expelled. He wouldn't win his friends back, and he certainly wouldn't win Fluttershy back. She knew what happened at his old school, sure, but she wasn't a primary witness. If Coppermane went berserk like he did back then, she'd surely be scared off, and he would lose her forever, along with all of his friends. He looked down at the girls, and saw fearful expressions. Coppermane looked through their eyes for a moment, and found himself frightened as well. They saw a damaged kid about to unleash all his pent up frustration and anger. A damaged kid hungering for payback; for retribution. He couldn't scare them. He couldn't become the damaged kid they all see. There had to be another way. He thought about it. The jocks had revealed themselves. Everyone knows what they did. He had them right where he wanted them. He looked at Fluttershy, and an idea came to mind. As reluctant as he was to follow through, he really didn't have a choice. He was in the heat of the moment. He couldn't back down. There was too much at stake. His reputation. His sanity. His friends. Fluttershy.

Coppermane took a deep breath, and looked at the jocks, who had their arms crossed smugly. Copper gave them a cold look. "You know…I've been through a lot. I've been through some extremely hard times. All my life, I've been bullied. Beaten, tormented, neglected; you name it. I've spent the last eighteen years of my life completely alone. I've spent every single day in fear, just hoping I could survive without crying my eyes out from the pain." As he talked, he grew more and more emotional, almost to the point of yelling. "Even when I tried to make friends, nobody would give me a chance. Nobody gave me the benefit of the doubt. Do you have any idea how lonely I felt? How depressed I was? I felt so helpless…so cold…so lost. I almost took my own life…"

The audience gasped upon hearing that, especially the girls and Flash.

"Whoa…" Rainbow Dash said in disbelief.

"Darling…" Rarity said, starting to tear up.

"Wh-What…?" Pinkie Pie said in a quiet, heartbroken voice.

They all had a rough idea of what he's been through, but had no clue that he almost committed suicide because of it.

Fluttershy couldn't believe what she was hearing. Such sensitive information only she and Coppermane knew…suddenly everyone at CHS knew.

"I've spent the majority of my life at rock bottom," Coppermane continued, venting his emotions more and more. "I hoped that when I transferred to CHS, I would be able to escape it all. A chance to start over, and not be the school loser for once. But on the first day, you two idiots came around and crushed those hopes to dust. You've done some horrible things to me since I started at CHS. You've beaten me up, berated me in front of audiences, humiliated me countless times; you've basically done nothing but harass me since day one. But this? Interfering with my friends? Interfering with my relationship? Going so far as to blackmail innocent people to help you accomplish this? Why? Why would you do this? I was finally happy. Why would you ruin the only good things I had in life? Because of you two, I lost my best friends, and I lost my girlfriend! What did I do to deserve this? Why do you put so much effort into ruining my life?!"

"Because it's our job to put losers like you in their place," Hoops retorted.

"It's up to cool kids like us to make sure losers like you know where you belong," Score said.

The audience gasped in shock. Did they really just say that? Now, everyone at CHS, from the student body to the faculty knew their true intentions, and were completely dumbfounded at their audacity, especially Coppermane's friends.

Coppermane's eyes were wide in astonishment. They had the nerve to say something like that? "It's your job?" he said, amazed at their audacity. He felt more of his pain boiling up to the surface, and as he spoke, he grew increasingly emotional to the point of tears. "Is it your job to make people feel miserable all the time? Is it your job to reduce people to tears? Is it your job to make people feel inferior? Is it your job to humiliate people for your own amusement? Is it your job to make people cry themselves to sleep every single night because they feel so hated and lonely? Because all they want…all they've ever wanted, more than anything else in the entire world…is a friend. Just one friend. Someone to help them when they need it. Someone to get them up when they're down. Someone to tell them that everything's going to be okay. Someone to comfort them when they're sad. Someone who cares. Anybody. And when they finally have friends…when things are starting to look up…when they're almost out of the well…when they can finally see the light…you show up and cut the rope, and laugh at them as they plummet all the way back down to the bottom once again. Only this time, they have a piece of the rope, as a cruel reminder of what they almost had. How close they were to freedom. How close they were to being happy. You show up, and you take it all away. Is that what your job is? Is it your job to make them feel like they're one big mistake? Is it your job to cause them so much pain that they want to kill themselves? Huh?!"

Everybody in the audience was moved. They couldn't believe what was happening right now. Coppermane was in tears from his emotions, and it hit them hard, especially his friends. The girls were practically in tears themselves. All of that venting…was that the story of his life? Was he that miserable?

"Coppermane…" Sunset said, allowing a tear to fall down her face.

"Oh my gosh…" Twilight said, her hand over her heart.

"Sugarcube…" Applejack said, crying, and taking her hat off, placing it over her heart.

"Bro…" Flash Sentry said. Tears were welling up behind his eyes, threatening to leak out. This huge revelation was not part of the plan. He had no idea Copper's been through that much.

Hoops and Score only laughed, completely unfazed by the dumbfounded audience. Score confronted Coppermane, getting in his face.

"Why do you insist on going after a girl who's clearly way out of your league? She's seen the pictures, and singing a stupid love song to her, like the pussy-ass you are, isn't going to change a damn thing," Score said sternly. "You wanted to protect her, and you ended up hurting her more than anyone else. You're just a weak, pathetic loser, and you know it. Why do you keep trying? Why do you fight a losing battle?"

"Alright, asshole, you wanna know why I keep trying?!" Coppermane shouted, pushing Score away, making the audience gasp. "You wanna know why I'm doing this?! You wanna know why I'm fighting for what I don't deserve?! Why I'm fighting a losing battle?! Because she's the greatest thing that's ever happened to me!" he shouted. "She's changed my life, and given me so much. She made my life worth living. She saved me. This has been the most depressing week of my life because I missed her so much. I just wanted to hold her in my arms one more time…feel her warmth…shield her from harm…" Coppermane took a moment to compose himself, his emotions raging like wildfire. He was in tears. "I know I don't deserve her, but she's so important to me. I miss her so much. I want her back so badly. I did this to show her how much I care about her. To show her how much I love her."

Fluttershy gasped upon hearing Coppermane say those three words. She covered her mouth with her hands in disbelief, her heart washing over with joy, recalling everything he just said. Did he just say…I love her?

He…loves me?

"C-Coppermane?" Fluttershy said, choking up.

Coppermane heard Fluttershy, and turned around to see her with her hands over her mouth. Her eyes were gleaming, as if she had just found gold. He glanced past her to see the rest of the girls with shocked expressions on their faces. A couple of them were even smiling. Coppermane looked back at Fluttershy, and gave her a smile. But before he could say anything else, he was pushed to the ground, falling flat on his face, causing the audience to gasp. Coppermane turned over on his back to see Score backing up, and Hoops approaching him.

"We won't have our reputations ruined by the likes of you. We won't!" Hoops yelled with rage and frustration. "You're a loser, and you will always be a loser. It seems you haven't learned that yet, so we'll have to resort to force."

Suddenly Hoops charged Coppermane with his fist, prompting Coppermane to brace himself for impact. He waited for Hoops' fist to connect with his face…but never felt it. He instead heard an odd impact sound, Hoops yelling in pain. Through closed eyes, Copper could make out a strange white glow manifesting in front of him. There were weird sounds around him…almost ethereal…like none he had ever heard before.

Coppermane opened his eyes, and was amazed to see a white magical bubble around him. A magical shield. It was transparent, such that he could see Hoops on the ground gripping his hand in pain. His face, along with Score's, were seething with anger. As Coppermane stood up, the bubble faded, but was still surrounded by a magical white aura. Score saw the barrier withdraw, and tried to punch Coppermane too, only to hit the magical barrier protecting Copper…tricking him just like it had Hoops. He recoiled back in pain, now gripping his fist like Hoops was.

Coppermane looked down, and noticed streams of magic being fed into him. He looked around to see the girls and Flash Sentry radiating with their own colored aura, with shocked looks on their faces. They all had streams of magic emanating from them, feeding into Coppermane. Before he could question what was going on, he felt something stir within him. Something otherworldly…but empowering. Coppermane felt his eyes close as he levitated off the ground, making everybody gasp. As he absorbed more energy, the feeling within him intensified, his mind filling with images of all his friends. Words of power echoed in his head, like mantras, filling his mind, body, and soul with the understanding of the strongest force in the universe.

The girls and Flash Sentry watched in awe, feeling their magic being absorbed by Coppermane, and watching the aura around him grow brighter and brighter. After a couple minutes, Coppermane opened his eyes, flashing with a bright rainbow light. He levitated in the air surrounded by a white aura, outlining his figure. Chains of magical energy kept him linked to each one of his friends as he floated above the ground, shining bright.

Coppermane had never felt more empowered in his life. He now knew what this was. He knew everything. He looked down at Hoops and Score, looking up at him with hateful expressions.

"I…I can see it. I heard it. I understand…it's all clear to me now. Honesty…" Suddenly, the link to Applejack brightened, and she levitated off the ground to Coppermane's level, surrounded by magic. "Generosity…" Rarity's link brightened, and she levitated off the ground. "Kindness…" Fluttershy did the same. "Loyalty…" Then Rainbow Dash. "Laughter…" Pinkie Pie. "Magic…" Twilight Sparkle. Then, Coppermane spoke words the girls did not recognize. "Acceptance…" Sunset Shimmer's link brightened, and she ascended as well. "Compassion…" Flash Sentry's link brightened as he arose. "Empathy…" Coppermane's aura flashed, sending white waves of energy rippling down the magical chains to all his friends, empowering them. Enchanted particles began emanating from all of nine of them in their respective colors. Coppermane looked down at the jocks, feeling more powerful than ever. "A bond that can never be broken. A bond that grows stronger with time. A bond that brings people together. These people have changed my life. They saved my life. Through all the hardships and strife, I will always consider them my best friends. No matter how hard you try…no matter what schemes you come up with…no matter what you throw at me…you can never bring me down. You two have done nothing but call me a loser since day one, and for a time, I believed you. But now, I see the truth. I'm no loser…the real losers are you, because I possess something you will never understand. I've felt it within me. The most powerful force in the universe: The Magic of Friendship."

Suddenly, the nine of them flashed with fantastic light as the magic of friendship surged through them, causing them all to pony up, sprouting pony ears, ponytail hair extensions, and wings…including Flash Sentry and Coppermane.

Flash Sentry and Coppermane's hair grew longer and more luxurious, reaching back below their waistline, and ending in ponytails. They sprouted pony ears, and Flash Sentry gained wings. Coppermane's hair not only grew longer, but his color intensified, with his highlights becoming more brilliant, making his hair look like actual copper. Coppermane could feel the mystical energy flowing through him, and he's never felt more invigorated.

The girls all saw the boys, and were astonished.

"Girls…are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"They…ponied up…" Sunset said in amazement. Somehow, Coppermane had invoked the magic of friendship, and it granted him and Flash Sentry a pony form. The girls couldn't believe their eyes.

The nine of them slowly descended onto the ground amongst a dumbfounded and astonished audience. Their feet touched the ground, and their auras faded, staying in their pony forms. Coppermane looked at Hoops and Score, who no longer looked mad, but instead…uneasy.

Coppermane looked at the jocks with a smirk as his friends walked up to stand behind him. "I cherish my friends more than anything else in the world. As long as I have them, you can never bring me down."

Hoops and Score, for the first time, felt fear. They looked around the audience, and saw everyone giving them nasty looks. They saw Coppermane's friends standing behind them with cold looks on their faces, all in their pony forms. Looking up onstage, they saw Flash Sentry gazing down at them with ice in his eyes, ponied up as well. They turned their attention back to Coppermane, in his pony form, and for the first time, saw confidence in his eyes. Coppermane had won. Their reputations were destroyed. There was no recovering from this. All his friends looked as if they were about to jump them if they tried anything. They needed to get out of there, and fast. The two of them tried to escape the amphitheater, and turned around to see Vice Principal Luna, crossing her arms, and looking very displeased.

"Hoops and Score," she said sternly, "I think Principal Celestia and myself would love to talk to you two on Monday about how you blatantly assaulted this young man, and about your history with bullying."

Hoops and Score were speechless at seeing Vice Principal Luna…and a little scared. They completely forgot the both principals were here. They could only assume that they had seen everything. They were royally screwed now…

"Oh…um…well…" Hoop stammered.

"Hehe…um…" Score stuttered.

Vice Principal Luna rolled her eyes. "Well, until that time, your time here in the amphitheater is finished for tonight, and you are banned from the formal tomorrow. Now, come with me."

Hoops and Score were so dumbfounded that they couldn't even protest. Their worlds were crumbling beneath them. Left with no other choice, Vice Principal Luna escorted them out of the amphitheater as the audience cheered. Coppermane had won. He stood up to his bullies, and the students weren't scared. They were cheering for him. Hearing the applause only made his morale skyrocket even higher.

But it wasn't over yet. This was a triumph, but he still had one more thing to do. Only then would he be able to know if he was victorious…or if this was all for naught.

"Thank you, everybody," Coppermane said, speaking into the microphone. The audience cheered for him, but quieted down when he spoke again. "But…there's still something I need to do." He turned around to look at a very special girl. "Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy's face lit up upon her name, and saw Coppermane approaching her slowly. She wasn't able to get a good look at him in his pony form until now…and her breath was taken away. He looked amazing. His pony ears were adorable, and his hair shined with such brilliant coppery luster, unlike anything she's ever seen before.

Coppermane walked towards Fluttershy, his heart on fire. "Fluttershy…it all started with you. Everything around you right now…everything that just happened…this amazing phase of my life…it's all because you gave me a chance. I wouldn't be standing here right now if it weren't for you." He was standing right in front of Fluttershy at this point, gazing into her deep, teal eyes. "I had friends…I was accepted for me…and I was happy…all thanks to you, and…I love you for it."

Fluttershy's eyes went wide, covering her mouth with her hand. Was she just hearing things? Coppermane took her hand with both of his, making her shudder at his gentle touch. She looked up at him, and saw stars in his eyes as he gazed down upon her.

"Fluttershy, you're the most amazing, most beautiful girl in the world, and…you mean everything to me. This time apart, as painful as it was, made me realize something." He squeezed her hand. "I…I need you. Without you…I'm a loser. I'm nothing. But with you…I feel whole. You make me feel like I'm worth something. You make life worth living, and…I love you. I love you so much, Fluttershy." Coppermane could hear some people in the audience going "Aww", boosting his morale a little, but nevertheless, his heart felt like it was going to pound out of his chest. This was the moment of truth. So much was riding on Fluttershy's response. He just confessed his love for her, in front of everyone, and time seemed to stop as he waited anxiously.

The audience was dead silent, fixated on Fluttershy, waiting for her response.

Fluttershy was beside herself. He did say it. She could see it in his eyes. Love. True love. He loved her. In her wildest dreams, she never thought this would ever come true. She didn't even care that all of CHS was watching her, too overtaken by her own happiness. Tears of joy welled up in her eyes. She was so happy she could barely speak.

Coppermane saw her tears, and in the heat of the moment, thought the worst. "You're…You're crying. Oh no…I…I'm so sorry…I…"

"No no no, Coppermane," placing her hand on his heart, like she always used to. "I…I…" she stammered, trying to collect herself.

"You…you what?" Coppermane said, using his hand to cup her face, like he always used to.

Fluttershy couldn't stop smiling, and loved feeling him cup her face again. "I…I love you too," she said with tears of joy in her eyes, gripping Coppermane's heart.

Coppermane went from a state of worry, to one of total happiness. Did she just say…?

"Fluttershy…you…you do?" Coppermane asked, feeling his heart soar, putting his hand over hers on his heart.

"Coppermane…you…you don't know how long I've been waiting for you to say that," she said, squeezing his chest, tears falling down her face. "I…I love you too, Coppermane. I love you so much…I always have."

Coppermane couldn't believe what he was hearing. Tears of happiness were welling up behind his eyes as he squeezed Fluttershy's hand over his heart. He could see it in her eyes. She loved him. She really loved him. A tear ran down his face as they gazed into each other's eyes, unable to stop smiling.

The couple could hear the audience chanting, starting with their friends, "Kiss her…kiss her…kiss her…kiss her…" spreading throughout the amphitheater like a wave, increasing in volume along with some rhythmic clapping.

Coppermane and Fluttershy looked at each other. Hearing the chanting of the audience made them feel warm inside.

"Fluttershy…" Coppermane said, using a hand to caress her face.

"Coppermane…" Fluttershy said, squeezing his hand.

Coppermane couldn't help himself any longer. He cupped her face and pulled her into the most passionate kiss he's ever given her, making the entire audience explode in applause. Coppermane's entire body melted in bliss upon feeling Fluttershy's sweet, candy lips once again. He and Fluttershy didn't even care that the entire amphitheater was watching them. In that moment, the only people that mattered to the couple was each other. Fluttershy melted in euphoria upon feeling his lips once more. He's never kissed her so passionately before, and she was enjoying every blissful second. As they kissed, the couple began to glow with one collective aura, and began to ascend, making the audience gasp in amazement, and continue to cheer even louder. Coppermane and Fluttershy floated above the ground in each other's arms, with tears of happiness streaming down their faces as they kissed. They could literally feel the magic of their love emanating from each other's lips, making the couple melt in euphoria. Coppermane and Fluttershy felt like they were floating on rainbows, and in that moment, all was right in the world.

Only when they needed to breathe did Coppermane and Fluttershy pull away. They gazed into each other's tear-stained eyes. They've never felt happier in their lives. Fluttershy leaned her head on Coppermane's chest as he held her tight in his arms, never letting go. The couple slowly descended, gracefully landing on the ground, holding each other tight. Their friends couldn't help but shed a tear as well. Coppermane was back, Fluttershy was happy, and they were together again. Flash Sentry was so proud of his best bro. They had planned something, but what ended up happening was infinitely better than anything they could've come up with ahead of time.

But suddenly, and unfortunately, Flash had to interrupt their moment, remembering that there was one more part to the plan.

"Copper!" Flash called out through the microphone.

Coppermane reluctantly pulled away from Fluttershy to look at Flash. "What?" he called out.

"You're forgetting something!" Flash said, holding up a bouquet of flowers.

Coppermane suddenly remembered. The final phase of the plan. Coppermane turned towards Fluttershy, who hasn't been able to stop smiling.

"Fluttershy, there's one more thing I wanted to ask you," Coppermane said. Fluttershy looked at him quizzically. There was more? How could Coppermane possibly make her any happier than she already was? Coppermane turned around to Flash and held out his hand. Flash threw the bouquet to Coppermane, who caught it, and turned to Fluttershy. Fluttershy's eyes went wide. It was a beautiful bouquet of white roses and cherry blossoms. Were they…for her?

Coppermane smiled at her, and was about to say something, but stopped when he started to glow with a white aura again. The audience gasped at seeing this, as did his friends. Before Coppermane could question what was going on, streams of magic spiraled around his arm to the bouquet. Suddenly, tendrils of magic crawled up the flower stems, and the white roses began to glow. The dimly glowing roses fanned out, and morphed into a beautiful, glowing flower with five petals. The magic tendrils faded, and the flowers began to emit particles of light from the center. Coppermane's breath was taken away. It was the most beautiful bouquet he's ever seen in his life. Perfect for the most beautiful girl in the world, right?

Twilight saw the flower, and immediately recognized it. It closely resembled another magical flower from her home world. A flower that she witnessed being presented by a certain colt to the mare of his dreams. She actually shed a tear. It was just like back in Equestria.

Fluttershy's eyes were wide at the bouquet's beauty. She's never such a beautiful bouquet in her life. Then, Coppermane somehow managed to make her happier than she already was by getting down on one knee, presenting the enchanted bouquet to her. When he knelt down, the audience started applauding yet again.

Coppermane's face was bright red, and his heart was on fire. He's never done something like this before, and hoped he was doing it right. "Fluttershy, I know this is long overdue, but…will…will you go to the formal with me?"

Fluttershy gasped, covering her mouth with her hands in disbelief. The guys she loves, presenting her with the most beautiful bouquet she's ever seen in her life, and asking her to the fall formal? Tears of joy continued to stream down her face. Words could not even come close to describing how happy she was.

"Oh, Coppermane…yes…yes…of course I will!" Fluttershy said, lunging forward into his arms, and giving Coppermane a big hug as the audience roared with applause. Normally, with everyone's attention on her, Fluttershy would be unable to move from nervousness, but being in Coppermane's arms made her forget all about that, and she felt safe.

The two embraced for a minute before Coppermane had to release her. He still had one more song to sing with Flash Drive to close the curtain on the night.

Flash Sentry's voice suddenly echoed throughout the amphitheater. "Alright, everyone! We have one more song left, so enjoy, and have a great rest of the night!" he said, making the audience cheer.

Coppermane smiled at Fluttershy, and handed her the bouquet. Fluttershy gladly took it, utterly captivated by its beauty. Coppermane gave her one more peck before he jumped back onstage to finish the night with Flash Drive, feeling more energized than ever.

…

-(Song: Some Might Say- Go to my profile for a link to the song playlist for this story!)-

Everyone in the audience cheered upon hearing the first few chords. They all knew what song this was. Flash Sentry and Coppermane have never felt more energized in their lives. The magic of their pony forms surged through them with every chord, invigorating them. Coppermane's mood was the polar opposite of what it was during their first songs. He sang with all his might with Flash Sentry, creating awesome harmony, and nodding his head to the beat. Before, he was nervous as get-out, but now he's never felt more confident.

Fluttershy's never felt happier in her life. Her friends came up to her one by one to hug and congratulate her. Also to marvel at the bouquet of flowers as they nodded their heads to the beat. Fluttershy couldn't help but giggle at watching Coppermane let loose onstage. His magnificent hair was flipping around as he nodded his head to the beat. He looked like he was having so much fun. He looked amazing in his pony form. She shed another tear from sheer joy. At the beginning of the showcase, she had never felt more depressed in her life, but by the end of it, she was unimaginably happy. And it was all thanks to Coppermane; the most amazing guy in the world.

…

The last chord made the audience explode in applause; the loudest of the entire night. Unfortunately, after the last chord, Coppermane and Flash Sentry's pony forms faded, along with the girls, but they didn't care. Right now, they were soaking up all the applause, filling them with energy. After the amphitheater started to die down, Flash Drive exited off into the wings, except for Coppermane, who couldn't stop looking at Fluttershy. The girls all went to go see Flash Drive in the wings, except for Fluttershy, who couldn't take her eyes off Coppermane. He handed his keytar off to Flash Sentry and immediately jumped down offstage to Fluttershy. Before Fluttershy could say anything she felt Coppermane dragging her off by her hand. She soon found herself with Coppermane alone by the entrance. She blushed majorly as he held her hands, flattered by his attention to her.

"Coppermane…?" Fluttershy said, wondering what he was up to.

"Fluttershy…I…I never got a chance to tell you this, but…you look amazing," Coppermane said, looking at her with adoration.

Fluttershy's face went bright red, "Aww…thank you…" she said. "Coppermane…what you did in there…it was amazing…"

Coppermane blushed profusely, and reached up to brush the hair out of Fluttershy's face, making her shudder in pleasure. He cupped her face, looking at her with adoration.

"Fluttershy, I meant every word I said in there, and more. I absolutely adore you, and you mean the everything to me. There's no girl I want more in the entire world, and I would never cheat. You're the only girl for me, Fluttershy, and…I just hope you can forgive me for this whole mess because I've been the worst boyfriend ever an—" Fluttershy put her finger on his lips to silence him. She looked at him with a smile.

"It's okay, Coppermane. You have nothing to be sorry about," Fluttershy said, smiling. "You did nothing wrong. It was all Hoops and Score. I…I'm sorry for not listening to you…I never even gave you a chance…"

Coppermane smiled, and caressed her face, making her smile. "You had every right to be mad at me. You have nothing to be sorry about."

The couple took a moment to stare into each other's eyes, utterly entranced.

"Coppermane…?" Fluttershy said after a while.

"Yeah?" Coppermane said.

"I…I miss you so much…" Fluttershy said with tears in her eyes.

Coppermane saw the tears in her eyes, his heart melting at her words. He said nothing, but instead pulled Fluttershy into another kiss, making Fluttershy melt in his arms. He pulled away, but only slightly. He brought his hands up to cup her face, drying her tears.

"I missed you too, Fluttershy. But it's okay now. I'm here for you…and I always will be," Coppermane said in the most soothing voice Fluttershy has ever heard. He brushed the hair out of her face. "I will never let you go again."

Fluttershy's heart soared as she began to tear up even more. Her happiness was immeasurable. She couldn't help herself from lifting her head to give Coppermane a passionate kiss. She felt Coppermane squeeze her tighter in his arms, making her melt.

The couple pulled away, but only slightly, such that they could feel each other's breath on their lips. They gazed into each other's eyes with adoration.

"I love you, Fluttershy," Coppermane said, squeezing Fluttershy in his arms.

Fluttershy started tearing up again. "I…I love you too, Coppermane."

Coppermane smiled and dried her tears before pulling her into another passionate kiss.

The couple spent the next couple minutes in total bliss, lost in each other's lips. Kissing each other felt amazing after a week of withdrawal. What only lasted a couple minutes felt like an eternity to the couple as they kissed. What stopped them was the sound of snickering off to the side. They pulled away to see their friends standing with smirks on their faces, some of them giggling, making Coppermane and Fluttershy blush profusely at getting caught making out.

"H-Hi," Coppermane said nervously, a little embarrassed. Fluttershy's face was bright red from getting caught in the act.

Before anyone could say anything, Pinkie Pie let out a sharp squeal and rushed Coppermane, pulling him into a big hug.

"AAHH! YOU WERE SUPER-DUPER-AMAZINGLY AMAZING!" Pinkie Pie screamed in excitement.

"Can't…breathe…" Coppermane said, trying to break from Pinkie Pie's death grip.

Pinkie Pie released him, allowing him to catch his breath. "I'm sorry, it's just…AH!" she screamed again, giving Coppermane another, less life-threatening hug. "You were so amazing!"

"Hehe, thanks Pinkie," Coppermane said, reciprocating. Pinkie Pie released him after a minute.

"Copper, that…was…awesome!" Rainbow Dash said enthusiastically.

"We're so proud of you for standing up to your bullies, darling!" Rarity said. "And so spectacularly too!"

"I know, right?" Sunset said. "Did you plan all of that?"

Flash Sentry stifled a laugh, making all the girls look at him quizzically. No…none of anything that happened in there was planned, save for the songs they performed.

"Um…no. Not planned at all," Coppermane said, to everyone's shock. "It just kind of…happened. I kind of just went with the flow, you know?"

"Well, it was amazin', sugarcube!" Applejack said with a tear in her eye. "We're mighty proud of ya."

Coppermane blushed, flattered that his friends were all so happy for him.

"Um…guys…I'm so sorry for all this drama…" Coppermane said apologetically, his smile fading.

"Y'all have nothin' ta be sorry about, sugar," Applejack said.

"If anything, we should be the ones apologizing," Twilight said. "We should've listened to what you had to say. We should've let you explain yourself, and not blocked you out."

"We feel terrible," Sunset said, "Especially after…well…hearing you vent."

"Seriously," Rainbow Dash chimed in. "I had no idea you'd been through so much."

"Aww, don't be sorry," Coppermane said. "You had every right to be mad at me."

"But we still didn't listen to you. We never even gave you a chance," Rarity said apologetically. "Can you ever forgive us, darling?"

Coppermane looked around at the girls, who all had apologetic looks on their faces. He couldn't help but shed a tear.

"Of course I forgive you. You're my best friends," Coppermane said, making all of their faces light up. They all clamored around him to give him a group hug. Coppermane smiled at the gesture. "So…does this mean we're friends again?"

Pinkie Pie chimed in. "Is that even a question?! Of course, silly!" The rest of the girls giggled to each other, agreeing with Pinkie Pie.

Coppermane couldn't help but shed a tear. He made eye contact with Flash Sentry, who gave him a thumbs up and a wink. He had succeeded…in more ways than he ever expected. He stood up to his bullies without scaring the whole school away. He felt the magic of friendship within him, and used it to win the day. It felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders, and he could finally breathe.

The girls all released Coppermane after a while, but Fluttershy came up and hugged him again, to which Coppermane happily and warmly reciprocated. Holding Fluttershy in his arms felt amazing. He won his best friends back, and more importantly, won the girl of his dreams back. She loved him. He never thought, in his wildest dreams, that a girl as amazing as Fluttershy would ever love him back, but somehow, she did, she truly did, and his happiness was unfathomable.

Fluttershy loved being in Coppermane's arms. He felt so warm, and she felt so safe when he held her. She started this week feeling unbelievably depressed, but by the end of it, was the happiest she's ever been in her entire life. It felt like a dream, but she knew it wasn't. This was reality. Coppermane loved her. He truly loved her. The guy of her dreams was all hers once again, and all was right in the world.

---

And that's chapter 14! Whew! If you're reading this, thanks for powering through this. I've had this chapter written out in bullet points for such a long time now, and I've gone through about three different ideas for this chapter's content. It was so much fun to finally write this chapter. There was actually more planned, but I'm already at over 13k words, so I figured I could split it into two chapters. You were all eager for a resolution to all the drama, so I knew I had to make this count. I hope this chapter didn't disappoint, because it was so much fun to write. And before you ask, there are still a few more chapters to come, so don't worry! Don't forget to check out the stories I mentioned earlier:

The Vigilante of Canterlot High by Starshine89 (uses my OC)

The Cry for Help by Fluttershy 2059123

Power Ranger Equestrian Force by Webbowriter (uses my OC)

These three are a few of my most loyal readers, so go show them some love! These are all great reads.

Anyways, all reviews are greatly appreciated, so don't forget to leave one letting me know what you think, and…until next time…PEACE!

To see a picture of my OC, there's a link in my profile.