Ch. 5: Thieves!

Back at the mall, Rarity had just left the fabric store with a bag of materials.

"Oh, thank goodness I budgeted for backup fabric," she said. Then she saw Silver. "Silver? Darling, what are you doing here?"

"That's not important," he said. "You're gonna wanna see this." She looked and there were the Shadowbolts doing several different kinds of dancing, and way better than the others did. Rarity rubbed her eyes and looked again.

"Is that a disco-inspired look?" she asked. "And a street ballet tutu?"

"I think it is," said Silver. "They stole our plan!" Quickly, they rushed back to Rarity's house and started sewing until the others burst in.

"We're heeerrreee!" said Pinkie hanging from the top of the door.

"We got your text," said Twilight. "You said it was an emergency?"

"Is everything alright, guys?" asked Knuckles.

"Well, since you asked," said Rarity, getting on her couch and brushing off her lap. "The answer is no!" Then she started bawling her eyes out.

"Oh no," said Fluttershy. "What happened?"

"Those Shadowbolt girls stole our video concept," said Silver. "We saw them filming over at the mall. They copied Rarity's design ideas and everything."

"So of course, they looked absolutely fabulous," said Rarity, before she got back to crying. "But the worst part is that they're all incredible dancers!"

"Major bummer in the summer," said Pinkie, passing her a tissue box. "Tissue for your issue?" Rarity took it and wiped her running mascara away before she blew her nose.

"Everyone is counting on us," she said. "On the video to win us the prize money for the camp."

"Oh, how could I have been so blind?" said Silver, face-palming. "Of course they stole the concept. We practically served it to them on a silver platter, and I didn't even realize it. And I'm psychic!"

"Don't beat yourself up about it," said Sonic. "It'll take more than one round of the Friendship Games for the Shadowbolts to learn winning isn't everything."

"Eh. Maybe this was all for the best," said Applejack.

"What do you mean?" asked Silver.

"Well, the concept and costumes were incredible, but our dancing?" asked Knuckles.

"Not so much," said Sunset. Knuckles and Applejack laughed.

"We could barely get in a two-step before tripping over each other's boots," said Applejack. The others joined them in laughing.

"Nonsense!" said Rarity. "You all looked great! Well, maybe not great, but… but… but… but it was getting there! And the point is, we don't have to let them win! That is our video concept, and I am going straight to Crystal Prep to let them know that they have messed with the wrong girls!" She seethed in anger. "Who's with me?" Everyone just looked at each other in silence. Rarity realized no one was on board and cleared her throat. "N-n-no, seriously. Who is with me? I have no idea how to get to Crystal Prep."

"I'll go," said Twilight. "Maybe I can try to reason with them. We were classmates once."

"Keyword; Once." said Shadow.

"That's the spirit!" said Rarity grabbing her and dragging her out. "Come on!"

"This isn't gonna end well," said Sonic. At Crystal Prep, Twilight and Rarity stuck their heads out from behind a bush. Rarity was wearing a headscarf and designer sunglasses. Quickly, they slipped in the front door and ninjaed their way through the halls.

"Okay," whispered Rarity. "Where's the dance studio?"

"There's a dance studio?" asked Twilight.

"Didn't you go to this school?" asked Rarity.

"Well, I can show you where the library is," she replied. Then they heard some sort of music.

"Wait. Sh!" said Rarity. "That's their music." It was coming from a room down the hall and the door was open. "Bingo." Quickly, she raced towards it and they saw it was a dance studio. The girls were there practicing as Rarity came in with her mouth hanging open.

"Hey girls!" said Sour. "So what did you think of our routine? Scared yet?"

"Don't change the subject, Sour Sweet," said Rarity accusingly.

"You didn't bring up a subject, to begin with," said Sugarcoat.

"You either!" said Rarity.

"Ooookayyy," said Sour.

"You know why we're here," said Rarity. "You stole my- our music video idea. Now, change your concept or else."

"Sorry," said Sour. "But we can't." The girls laughed cruelly.

"And why is that?" asked Twilight.

"Because we care about winning," said Sunny. "Duh."

"And we will," said Sour. "Because we're just about to submit our video." They laughed again and Rarity was shocked.

"You're what?" she asked before she started stuttering. "It doesn't matter. Because we are still doing our video the way we planned."

"Go ahead," said Sour. "But there's just one flaw in your little plan."

"By the time you submit yours, it'll just look like you copied us." said Sunny.

"Except a worse version," said Sugarcoat. Rarity was shocked as Lemon turned the music back on and the girls resumed their routine.

Back at school, Rarity was apologizing to the others. "This is all my fault! All that money we raised is spent, and now we have no music video. I should never have convinced you all that we could pull this off in so little time," she said.

"Are you insane?" asked Sonic. "I'm the fastest thing alive. I could do this myself, blindfolded with one hand tied behind my back. I mean for God's sake, look at Pinkie Pie. She just built that castle made entirely out of chocolate bars while we were talking." They all looked and there was a giant chocolate statue that looked suspiciously like Princess Twilight's castle. Then she ripped part of the wall off and ate it.

"Want some?" she asked.

"Nah, I'm trying to watch my figure," said Sonia.

"What I want is a new video concept," said Rarity.

"Eh," shrugged Pinkie as she took another bite.

"So let's create one," said Rainbow.

"Really?" asked Rarity. The others all gave her affirmative remarks.

"I'm sure if we all put our heads together, we'll come up with something even better than before," said Sunset.

"Okay, I suppose it's worth a try," said Rarity. Then Pinkie zipped over, grabbed everyone and literally put their heads together.

"I think it's working," she whispered.

"It is now," thought Silver in everyone's minds. "I linked our minds."

"Yeah, I think I got something," said Knuckles. "Okay, so we're in home ec, dressed up like cowpokes, doing some baking, and then a fresh batch of fritters comes out of the oven and everyone's having a great time."

"Wait-wait-wait," said Silver. "So lemme get this straight. We're in a music video, eating pastries at school. That's your big idea?"

"Sorry," said Knuckles. "I guess I'm just kinda hungry."

"Anyone have another idea?" asked Rarity.

"Oh-oh, I do," said Rainbow. "So, we're all in the middle of the jungle, and we're being chased by henchmen shooting poison arrows at us."

"Liking it so far," said Shadow. "Do I get to use my guns?"

"You're gonna need to, because suddenly, out of nowhere, the shadow of a giant beast appears!" said Rainbow.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute," said Sonic. "Isn't this a scene from that new 'Daring Do' book?"

"Oh yeah, that's why it seemed so cool," said Rainbow. "Never mind. Next?"

"Okay, I've got it!" said Pinkie.

"I fear for my sanity," said Sonic.

"You should," said Silver.

"Please, do tell," said Rarity, having just dodged a poison arrow.

"We'll start out on the moon," said Pinkie. "And we'll be wearing really sparkly costumes. No wait, we'll be in space suits. We're surrounded by gorgonzola cheese, but then a space doggy walks over. And starts to eat the cheese!

"Okay, hold it! Everyone stop!" said Silver, snapping everyone out of the sleep-like trance they were in. "None of this is ever gonna work!"

"Aw why not?" asked Pinkie.

"Several reasons actually," said Silver. "One; Tails left his spaceship on Mobius, and until he gets the portal cannon fixed, we can't go get it. Two; sound can't travel through space, so it would be ineffective anyway. Three; the cheese would disintegrate in the vacuum of space, floating off into nothingness. Four; if Spike is the space-dog, how is he supposed to breathe in space to eat the cheese? Five; the contest is for dance music videos, and none of your ideas thus far included dancing. Guess which one is the most important!"

"But they were pretty funny, huh?" asked Pinkie, giggling. "I liked yours, Rainbow Dash."

"Thanks, Pinkie," she replied. Then Pinkie started floating by her neck being choked by a red aura. The others looked and saw that Silver's markings had turned red.

"I swore to myself I'd never use my powers like this again," he said darkly. "But unless someone comes up with an idea that might actually work, she dies!"

"Jeez Silver! Calm down!" said Sonic, forcing his hand down, sending Pinkie gasping and coughing for breath on the floor.

"There," said Silver panting. "I believe I have made my point."

"Are you okay?" asked Fluttershy. Then Silver's markings flared the color of blood.

"DO I LOOK LIKE I'M OKAY?!" he yelled. "The deadline for the contest is tomorrow and we've just been STANDING HERE, SCREWING AROUND!" With that, he kicked the door off its hinges and walked away. Everyone looked at him wide-eyed and Rarity cleared her throat.

"Well, uh tensions here appear to be getting to be rather heated, and Silver and I clearly need to talk, so I'll just, uh…" she said. "Yes." Then she walked away after him.

"One rule of thumb we have on this team;" said Sonic to no one in particular. "Never cross Silver."