Come Friday, Vice Principal Luna ran through the usual morning announcements, concluding with, "Finally, remember that tonight will be the meet-and-greet party for Crystal Prep as we prepare for the Friendship Games tomorrow. Formal attire is suggested, but not mandatory. That is all."

Mr. Discord snorted. "Neither is attendance for anyone who isn't part of the team. How convenient that she never mentioned that."

"You aren't going?" Fluttershy said from the front row of the classroom.

A picture of a severe-looking woman popped up just in time for Mr. Discord to sneer at it. "As the esteemed Principal Cinch can appreciate, I have a reputation to uphold. I haven't attended a single one of these little contests, and I see no reason to start now."

"To see what magic can add to them?"

Mr. Discord held up a finger, thankfully one of his own. "Ah, but I've never been to one. How can I know how they've been enhanced?" He brought the finger to his lips. "Still, I suppose I might take a look if it gets interesting enough."

Fluttershy gave a pouty little frown. "If you aren't here, how will you know whether it will be interesting?"

He just grinned. "If it's interesting enough, I'll know. And don't try to cute me into coming, Fluttershy; I built up a resistance to puppy-dog eyes back when our principals were using them on me. No, we've wasted enough time on extracurricular frippery for now. You all have a final to ready yourselves for, and just because you can ignore physics outside of this classroom doesn't mean you have that privilege here! The Friendship Games will be there when the day ends."

Lemon Zest stood outside of Crystal Prep with the rest of her impromptu council of student sanity. "Okay girls, buses are here. How we doin'?"

"Indigo's agreed to ride the bus and get everyone super-pumped!" Sour Sweet cheered. Her expression fell like a dropped brick. "She won't stop calling it 'the mortal vessel,' but I'll take what I can get."

"Jet Set and Upper Crust haven't insulted any of the scholarship kids," said Moondancer.

Sugarcoat crossed her arms. "Dean Cadence made sure they wouldn't be on the same bus as any of them."

Moondancer shrugged. "Good foresight on her part."

"General attitude does seem enthused." Lemon let out a breath. "We all may just get out of this sane."

"Lemon Zest?"

Lemon flinched, then turned to face the speaker behind her. "Y-yes, Dean Cadence?"

The dean smiled. "I've seen what you've been doing, and I really do appreciate it. I'm glad to see your friends at Canterlot High having such a good influence on you."

"Thanks, ma'am." Lemon gulped and looked around. No angry wind chime sounds to be heard or scowling principals to be seen. "Still, you might not wanna mention that where Principal Cinch can hear it, you know?"

Cadence sighed and nodded. "All too well. Still, don't let your concern for your fellow students make you forget to look after yourself."

"Nah, it's all good. I was crazy to begin with."

"You're not wrong."

"Thank you, Sugarcoat." Even Lemon wasn't sure whether or not she was being sarcastic.

Cadence bore a wry smile. "Just remember, if you ever need a sympathetic ear during the Games, I'm here for you."

Lemon's grin felt a lot more genuine than any she'd had in the past few days. "Thanks, ma'am. Really."

The Rainbooms ended the song in a long, echoing chord. Twilight applauded. "You guys are fantastic!"

Rainbow Dash sighed and looked behind her. "Yeah, I guess. I do miss getting the feathery wings when we play, though."

Sunset shuddered. "More magic on top of what we already have? I don't even want to think about what would happen to us." She looked to Pinkie. "Some of us more than others."

Pinkie gave a facesplitting grin and resumed drumming. "I feel the Pink overtaking me!" she cried over the solo. She leaned back, her eyes bugging out even as she upped the tempo. "It is a good pain!"

Dash wasn't sure when she'd flown into one of the upper corners of the room, but she saw no reason to leave. "Okay, point made."

"I almost regret telling you about Hyperspace Hyperwars." Twilight giggled, but trailed off with a sigh when she saw the clock.

"Is everything alright?" said Fluttershy.

"Fine. It's just that the buses from Crystal Prep will probably be arriving around now. I can't imagine they'll be happy to see me."

Pinkie hugged her from behind. "Well, there's always Sugarcoat and Lemon Zest and Dean Cadence and maybe even more friends you didn't know you had!"

Twilight knew it said something that she hadn't even flinched, especially considering how she was sure she'd been looking at Pinkie that time. She smiled. "Maybe. I suppose we'll see tonight."

"Well," said Rarity, "I for one am glad that the principals deigned to inform us of the events a few weeks into the delay. I don't know how they expected me to make uniforms for every conceivable event."

"I don't think they expected you t' make uniforms at all." Applejack smirked. "Not that that stopped ya."

Rarity looked away. "I can't imagine what you could possibly be implying."

"I was in yer store last week, Rare." Applejack started counting off her fingers. "Welder outfit, bobby getup, wizard robe—"

"Would magical duels really be so unbelievable an event choice? Besides, those were just practice outfits."

"Sure they were."

Principal Celestia's voice approached from outside. "And our music program has especially taken off." She walked into view with another, older woman. Fluttershy gasped like a hiccuping gnat.

The stranger's eyes narrowed when she looked into the practice room. "Twilight."

Twilight stood straight and met her gaze. "Principal Cinch."

The two stared at each other for an uncomfortable length of time. Finally, Celestia cleared her throat. "Shall we move on?"

"Yes. Let's." Cinch strode on, walking ahead of Celestia. "I doubt there's anything more of value to be gained here."

Twilight watched them go. Her friends watched her. She walked to the doors, closed them, and only then said, "What a coincidence. I was thinking that myself not too long ago."

Fluttershy approached her, hands bunched under her chin. "Are you okay?"

Twilight sighed and rested her head against the doors. "Fine."

Sunset put a hand on her shoulder. "You sure?"

Twilight turned to her and offered a weak smile. "Really, I'm fine. I needed to get that out of my system, but I didn't want to escalate the situation with Principal Cinch any further." She took a deep breath and turned to face everyone, her smile wider. "I'm trying to move on from the past. If Cinch can't, that's her problem."

This got several encouraging responses, punctuated by a rather unladylike shriek. "Would you look at the time!?" cried Rarity. "Girls, if we are going to be ready for that meet-and-greet, we need to get to the Boutique now! Especially you, Pinkie." Without another word, she scooped up all of them in her magic and made for the door.

She got about three steps before collapsing. "We will never speak of this moment."

Dash helped Rarity back to her feat, but smirked as she did so. "No promises. Though what's the rush with Pinkie?"

"Did you really think the principals could plan a party for a month and leave Pinkie out of it?"

Pinkie beamed as she disentangled her limbs. "I wore them down."

"Well, you heard her, girls. Let's get moving!" Dash went about the room, pulling up other stragglers.

"I can teleport us all, you know," said Sunset.

Applejack shook her head. "Dunno 'bout you, Sunset, but I ain't leavin' my truck in the parkin' lot."

"Point. Let's move."

Pinkie manifested in the gymnasium less than an hour later, Sunset-sent and resplendent in her pretty periwinkle party pinafore, but still a bit late. She looked around. Those students who'd arrived were segregated by school, barely even glancing at one another. The floorboards almost groaned under the weight of at least three middle school proms' worth of awkwardness.

Pinkie cracked her knuckles and her neck. "Let's do this." She scanned the crowd for a curtain of two-tone green hair.

Lemon Zest sighed. It was one thing to keep everyone from cracking under the pressure Cinch was putting on them. It was quite another to actually get them to loosen up.

"Hey!"

"Gah!" Herself included. She spun, holding a hand to her heart as her breath settled. "Pinkie?"

"Yup!" The other girl beamed despite the glares directed at her. She'd popped up in one of the most sympathetic clusters of Shadowbolts in the room, but that wasn't saying much. "I'm going to need your help to make this party one to remember!"

Lemon looked around, bit her lip, then shrugged. "Well, you just razed my social capital. Might as well make the most of it. Whaddaya need?"

Pinkie grabbed her by the shoulders and leaned close, more serious than Lemon had ever seen her look. "Have fun." With that, she vanished between blinks.

"I have so many questions," said Moondancer.

Sugarcoat shook her head. "Don't bother. You'll spare yourself the headache."

Everyone from Crystal Prep jumped at the sound of discharging cannons. The Wondercolts just cheered as confetti rained from the ceiling.

"This only raises further questions."

By the time the others arrived from Carousel Boutique, the party was in full swing. Tables brimmed with snacks, Vinyl Scratch manned the DJ booth, and both student bodies mingled more or less happily. Pinkie bounced about the room almost literally, soothing strain where she went. Her friends spread out, the better to enjoy the festivities and meet new faces.

"So," said a young man with a his Crystal Prep uniform jacket tied around his neck, "you're a god. How's that working out for you?"

Sunset took a moment to appreciate how someone had actually, sincerely uttered those sentences one after the other. "It's been weird."

He nodded. "I can imagine. You know, my family—"

"Jet Set." A girl stomped closer, gritting her teeth and seething like a volcano that had been getting too few virgins of late.

"Oh! Upper Crust!" He offered a smile that barely reached his lips, much less his fearful eyes. "Imagine seeing you here."

"We sat next to each other on the bus to this backwater."

"So we did! It was so lovely, I must have assumed it was only a pleasant dream." Jet Set gestured towards Sunset. "Have you met Sunset Shimmer? She's a god."

"And you haven't got a prayer." Sunset walked away from the couple, her headache fading with distance.

"Excuse me," said another boy in a Crystal Prep uniform.

A headache not caused by nearby disharmony immediately replaced the old one. "Yes?"

"Just wanted to introduce myself. My name is—"

"Trust Fund, you incorrigible womanizer." Another Shadowbolt grinned and put his arm around the first one's neck. "What are you doing with Sunset Shimmer of all people?"

Trust Fund glared at him. "Not the time, Smoking Jacket."

As the boys quarreled, one of Princess Celestia's lessons came to Sunset's mind. "You will find," the princess had said, "that nothing inspires shallow attraction quite like the allure of power."

Sunset facepalmed.

Moondancer swallowed. There she was. The most brilliant mind she'd ever met wrapped in an unfairly beautiful body. Looking around, seeming as awkward as Moondancer felt, but surely that was just projection. How could anyone as amazing as Twilight Sparkle ever—

"Ahh!" Moondancer turned. "Did you just shove me?"

Sugarcoat didn't even blink. "Yes."

Moondancer waited for a beat. When nothing more seemed forthcoming, she said, "Why?"

"Because at this rate, you're going to stare at Twilight the whole night, then regret not doing anything more for the foreseeable future. Go do something."

"Easier said than done."

"Not for me," said Sugarcoat.

"What do you— Hey!"

Sugarcoat casually slung Moondancer over one shoulder. "You'll thank me for this later." She then started walking. Towards Twilight.

"No I won't!" Moondancer erected a pale pink half-dome around them.

Sugarcoat kept moving. The shield moved with them. "Next time cast one that isn't anchored on you. Also, you've just drawn more attention to us."

Moondancer dropped her spell and settled for burying her face in her hands. "Just kill me now."

"No. Hey, Twilight?"

There was a terrible pause. Finally came that beautiful voice, soured by confusion. "Do I even want to know?"

"Probably not." Sugarcoat set Moondancer down. "I'll be around." She left without another word.

Moondancer swallowed. She certainly couldn't just walk away. "Um... Uh... Hi?"

"Hi. Uh, it's... nice to see you."

The vague niceties were all too familiar. "You have no idea who I am, do you?"

"No, no! You do seem familiar. I'm just really bad with names." Twilight chewed on her lip for a bit. "Uh... It's 'Moon'-something, right?"

"Moondancer? Oh-em-Sunset, is that you!?" Both girls turned to see a beaming mint-green girl. "It's been forever!"

"Moondancer! That was it! Thank you, Lyra."

Bad with names, huh? Moondancer swallowed the bile and stayed focused on the interloper. "I'm sorry, do I know you?"

The girl's smile wilted a bit. "Lyra? Lyra Heartstrings? I used to be one of your best friends? The three of us, Minuette, Lemon Hearts, and Twinkleshine?"

"Who?" Moondancer and Twilight said together.

"Well, it was back in second grade, but still, you guys don't remember?" Lyra got two shaking heads in response. "Not even the time Lemon Hearts got her hand stuck in that beaker?"

"It was an Erlenmare flask." Twilight put a hand to her forehead. "Oh. Wow. Nostalgia rush."

"Right?" Lyra paused. "Wait, have you just been smiling and nodding your way through every conversation we've had since you transferred to CHS?"

"... Maybe?"

Lyra scowled. "Why, you..." She held the expression for all of five seconds before bursting into laughter. "You adorkable little thing, you! Oh, we have to all catch up. Come on, I want you to meet Bonnie. She'll adore you. Loved unicorns since the day I met her. Lucky for me, huh?"

And Moondancer, caught in the minty tide, fists clenching, could say nothing.

Neon Lights looked around, slackjawed. "Can you believe it, Trend?"

"I know." Trenderhoof sipped his drink, smacked his lips, and allowed himself a nod. "I think that pink girl actually mixed the punch herself. That's dedication."

"Not the punch, the girls! I swear the worst one's still a seven!"

Trenderhoof looked around and shrugged. "I suppose, if your tastes are that shallow."

"You sure you're not gay? It's cool if you are, but you can't tell me that this isn't doing anything for you otherwise." Neon spread out his arms to encompass all the this-ness in the room.

"Gender isn't my chief consideration. No, I look for—" Trenderhoof gasped. "Oh my."

"What?"

Trenderhoof said nothing, walking towards the figure who'd caught his eye. He bumped into a few people of no consequence en route. "Who is that impossible goddess of fashion?"

"Hmm?" A girl turned and tittered. "Oh sir, you flatter me!"

"Huh?" Trenderhoof shook his head. "I'm afraid I didn't mean you. Your ensemble is... fine. I meant her." He gestured to the one she'd been talking to.

She followed him and furrowed her brow. "Who? Applejack?"

The other gave her a flat look. "Gee, thanks."

"I should be thanking you!" said Trenderhoof. "I mean, you're wearing a cowboy hat. Indoors. With a skirt. All without a single scrap of irony. And yet you make it work!"

"I did design that outfit, you know," said the white girl.

"And on anyone else, it would look ridiculous. But on you—Applejack, was it? You represent possibilities that I've never even considered!"

Applejack looked to her friend. "Help me out here, Rarity. What do we do?"

"Walk away in a huff." Rarity swung her glass at Trenderhoof, splashing him with punch. "Good day, sir." She turned and stomped away.

Applejack shrugged. "When in Roan." She splashed him as well, then followed Rarity.

Trenderhoof just stood there for a minute, feeling carefully blended fruit juices soak into his uniform. "Was it something I said?"

Pinkie pointed. "Hey, is that that Indigo Zap girl you told me about? We should totally introduce her to Rainbow Dash!"

Lemon Zest shook her head. "Bad idea. We do not want to introduce Indy to her through-a-prism-lightly counterpart."

"Why not?"

"You know what they say about meeting your clone; you're either gonna fight or fuck. Either way, we don't want it happening in your gymotorium."

"So. Who are you supposed to be?" Both girls turned to see Indigo Zap glaring at Dash.

Lemon facepalmed. "Just burn the place down, Godhorse. Save us some time."

Sunset walked by, trailing several doe-eyed Crystal Prep students, not all of them male. "Not doing that."

"Could you at least—" Lemon cut herself off, going through a different expressions with every word: "Good. Wait. Shazbot. Stop!"

"What is it?" said Pinkie.

"Well, Zap-o-Matic's got this itsy-bitsy god complex going. Shoving one in her face won't help."

Pinkie harrumphed and squared her shoulders. "Well, I'm not letting someone poop on this party," she said, marching into the fray.

Lemon couldn't help but smile. "Heh. I'm a bad influence on her." After a moment, her face found its way back into her hands. "Sure, throw in the casual reality warper to the 'Make Indigo Feel Inadequate' parade. Brilliant plan, Zest. Ten outta frickin' ten." She trudged towards the mess. "May as well bear witness to the devastation."

"You know," she heard Rainbow Dash say, "you look kinda familiar." Lemon picked up the pace, but the crowd proved especially thick.

Indigo narrowed her eyes. "I've beaten you at least three times in soccer."

Dash nodded. "Yeah, I recognized you. You've got a real good header."

"Uh..." Indigo shook herself out of her surprise. "Yes. I do."

"But that wasn't what I meant. Do you have any family in Cloudsdale? There's this one girl who plays for the Thunderheads, looks almost exactly like you."

Any uncertainty left in Indigo vaporized in the heat of her rage. "There is no one like me."

Dash quirked an eyebrow. "You sure? She even has the same hairstyle and everything."

"So! Indigo!" Lemon chirped, muscling past the last obstruction. "Smite any heathens lately?"

"Ask me again in a minute."

A shout came from previously unoccupied space. "Not before your 'Welcome to Canterlot' cupcake!"

Indigo's eyes darted from the pastry to Pinkie's unadorned forehead and back again. "What the—"

"Yeah, you have fun pondering that. Imma take these two somewhere other than here." Lemon took a Wondercolt in each arm and began frog-marching them away, muttering "Thanks for not sticking around, Godhorse."

"You're welcome! And stop calling me that!"

Cinch tapped the microphone, pulling everyone's attention away from the empty frivolity. Naturally, she had a speech ready. She'd had it ready since before the world went mad, and it had only needed minor adjustments to remain suitable. "I'd like to thank Principal Celestia for this... exuberant welcome. In spite of everything that has happened since the last Friendship Games, it feels as though nothing has changed. Canterlot High continues to pick its competitors in a popularity contest and Crystal Prep continues to field its top twelve students." Perhaps her words carried a bit more scorn than was called for, but given the circumstances, who could blame her? "It is a comfort to know that even after so many years of losses, your school remains committed to its ideals, however misguided they may be—"

"They're called the Friendship Games for a reason, you know!"

The room fell silent. Cinch's fists tightened behind her back. "Who said that?"

Then the floodgates opened:

"Way to ruin the mood!"

"Those ideals saved the world!"

"Multiple times!"

"Friendship! Do you speak it?"

Cinch whirled on Celestia. "I demand you get these disruptive elements of yours under control!"

"By my count," said Luna, "at least two of the disruptive elements are yours."

"I may not approve of the way they've raised the point, Principal Cinch, but it is a valid one. Your speeches often do undermine the values of the Friendship Games."

Cinch gritted her teeth before taking a deep breath. "Very well, then." She turned back, the room having settled down during her quick conference. "To put it succinctly and rephrased for sensitive ears: It's nice to be here, the results will be what they will be, and keep magic usage to a minimum. That is all." She walked off the stage, each heavy step tolling out like a clock tower.

Amid the lukewarm applause, several students gathered around one in particular. "Nice going, Flash," said Bonbon.

"Yeah, way to stick it to the Man." Sandalwood stopped to consider this for a moment. "Even when he's, you know, a woman."

Flash shook his head. "Guys, that wasn't me."

"But it sounded just like you," said Ditzy.

"It did?"

"Indeed it did!" cried the same voice. All turned to the speaker. "You thought the heckler was Flash Sentry, but it was ME! The Great and Powerful Trixie! Ahahahaha!"

"... Do I really sound like that?"

"The voice? Yes," said Ditzy. "The maniacal laughter? No."

Flash shrugged. "I guess I can live with that."

Elsewhere in the room, Lemon Zest still stared at the stage. "You did have it coming, Aunt Abby. I just hope you learn from it."

Author's Notes:

Hyperspace Hyperwars is the local equivalent of Warhammer 40,000. Credit for the term goes to The Weaver, not to be confused with Masterweaver.

And Trixie's not going to heckle someone with her own voice. That would just be reckless. Far better to use a voice changing spell.