In light of these... minor inconveniences that have been brought to my attention, I have hereby changed my plans. The Great and Powerful Trixie shall still enter this battle of the bands and shall still lay a can of whooping on everyone; but the path to doing it had to be reworked just the smallest amount. No great empire was built on the backs of idle labor or careless tactical ideas. An empire is built in ingenuity, versatility, and cunning. One could argue that ingenuity is cunning, but I'm not here to argue semantics; I'm here to form a band to assist me in my extra dimensional conquest.

Firstly, I need to summon up all the ties, connections, favors, pity, and anything else like these to find myself a band in the next four days. Now, allow me to draw out a mental planner for this. Four days. That would mean one to two days to gather members. After that, given the chance I found people in under a day, I will have two and a half days or so to whip them into shape and have them producing the greatest music a school auditorium has ever heard. Finally, a half a day to rest... The Great and Powerful Trixie requires at least nine hours of rest if she is going to perform at her best, naturally.

That all aside, that leaves the sort of musical talents I'll need. Excluding myself who could obviously pick up any slack the others fail to hold up as well as filling in for the lead vocals and guitar, that leaves us with a few key roles needing to be filled. A keyboard player, a secondary guitarist, someone to work the technical aspects, a drummer, and perhaps someone with a wind instrument. As well, we may need some eye catching back-ups to hold some of the more slack-jawed views attentions. Simple enough; there are plenty of options for all of these fields filling this school... Yet, how many of them are willing to work with me?

Arm in hand, Trixie pulled the unwilling Fluttershy along with her down the hall of the school. The halls were barren at this hour, limiting Fluttershy's hopes of breaking free or getting help. Trixie on the other end had a power building inside of her; a fire of hope and a churning wind of determination, as well as a grinding of a bean burrito. "Fluttershy," Trixie called back to her forced partner, "If I am to win this battle of the bands, you are right... I need to rebuild a few bridged or find some new bridges between people to secure my victory."

Despite being pulled against her will, Fluttershy managed a weary smile on her soft face. Her foot falls started to hold pace with Trixie's and helped her stand up straight instead of being pulled across the school floor by her heels. Fluttershy did not need to remind herself what sort of person Trixie was and how obnoxious she could be; but... "Well... Um... I-If you really want, I could make a flier for you and post it on the bulletin board," Fluttershy felt she had to offer the smallest bit of help seeing how fixated Trixie was on this.

At a sudden halt, Fluttershy found herself tripping on herself and planting her face in the back of Trixie's back. Trixie pounded a fist to the flat of her palm along with her boot against the floor. "Brilliant idea, Fluttershy!" Trixie spun herself around and helped straighten Fluttershy onto her legs and helped brush some of Fluttershy's pink locks from her face, "With your assistance, I will surely win this."

A warm blush descended across Fluttershy's face when she felt Trixie move her hair from her eyes. Clearing her throat just-so, Fluttershy nodded to the girl before her. "I... guess it's no real trouble... But, you know I'm going to be a part of the contest too right? O-On another team?"

Trixie casually nodded and waved a dismissing hand to Fluttershy. "I'm well aware. But I'm also more aware that you, Fluttershy, are one of the few people I haven't burned connections with. So, the Great and Powerful Trixie--" a moment fell where Trixie looked down the hall, then up the hall; before finally inching very close to Fluttershy and whispering at the utmost of the nearly inaudible, "--goes hat in hand asking for help."

The pull away from Trixie showed Fluttershy an unbearable sight. Quivering lip, clutched hands, and the most puppy-dog of puppy-dog-eyes you had ever seen. Trixie gave all the greatest pity-party moves she could to Fluttershy in one closing move. Pity-party moves that, even at first glance, Fluttershy knew she was had. Fluttershy uttered a defeated sigh and nodded to Trixie. "I'll have it done for you tomorrow..." Trixie brightened up at a moment's notice and struck a proud smirk across her face, "I think the music room will be open before school tomorrow, so I'll set it up for there."

"By all means, do as you need. I am very grateful for your help," Trixie turned on the back of her heel and started back down the hall, "Oh! I almost forgot..." Fluttershy looked up curiously to Trixie as she turned back around with a wagging finger, "You're going to be late for class if you keep dilly-dallying in the hall~~."

It hadn't occurred to Fluttershy, but class started about twenty minutes ago. The last thing Trixie heard from behind her when she turned back around was a frantic squeak followed by fleeting steps scampering down the hall as fast as the waxed floors would take them.

Allow the Great and Powerful Trixie to enlighten you on what this 'burning bridges' idea is all about. You see, around two years ago, I transferred to this school due to some 'complications' at my previous boarding school. Details are details, so let's move away from that. Upon coming here, my long list of talents propelled me into the inner circles of popularity. As it naturally should be, of course. Yet, over time, 'complications' started to come up. A boast here, a flaunt there, a little trickery somewhere along this... Leaving me, the Great and Powerful Trixie, among the 'outcasts'.

This suits me just fine, however. Among the outcasts there are many other talented people. Being considered talented by the Great and Powerful Trixie's standards may as well be a collage recommendation; it is truly an honor as well as a rarity. That being known now, as well as counting Fluttershy's efforts in helping me, I already have a strong lead in forming my very own band. From the top of my head, I have already decided upon a set of these 'outcasts' that would be of a great help to my Great and Powerful cause.

I simply must ask them...

Canterlot High's soccer field is a pristine, well tended green perfect for the pride and joy of the school's athletics. When a game is set in motion, those fields shake with cheers and stomping feet from enthusiastic fans. That's why when the only sound going across the field and filling the bleachers is a single girl's laughter, it's rather hard to not notice it. The center of the laughing came from a near bleach white skin girl with crusted blue hair kicking and chuckling to no end on the top level of the bleachers. Not including the passing students that looked up at the laughing girl, there was one other person sitting next to the center of noise. Trixie narrowed her eyes as she rested her face against her palm, waiting for the laughing to stop.

For nearly ten minutes, the other girl kicked and screamed with all her heart, laughing to no end but never once letting her shades drop from her face. When a moment of needed relief came and she stopped laughing, the girl sat up next to Trixie and wiped away a fleeting tear. "Oh-ho-ho! G-Give me a--Give me a second, 'kay?" Vinyl Scratch, the epicenter of the uncontrolled laughter, struggled to catch her breath, "'Kay, 'kay, 'kay. I'm done, really. Just ask that question again."

"I was wondering if you would like to join my ba--" Trixie was denied even finishing that as Vinyl fell back against herself and went into a fit of laughter yet again.

Gripping her skirt and huffing out her anger with burning red cheeks, Trixie stomped down the bleachers and made way across the soccer field. All the while as she crossed the field, she could still hear the hyena-like laughter of Vinyl knocking against the back of her head.

...Had I mentioned I burned some of the 'outcast' bridges too? I thought, surely, they wouldn't all hold a grudge. Regardless, there is always plan 'B'.