Author's Notes:

I should probably note this, because I thought a lot of people knew that Super Saiyan 4 isn't a 10x multiplier, but two people already have commented about it and now that I read these GT boards I can see a lot of people thinking that it is truly that multiplier. So this note is here to tell you that: No, it's not 10x.

Another day...

Another sparring match.

Gohan and Goten were sparring...

Again.

It became daily.

It got their minds off school, and even during recess they did a bit of Image Training.

They were outside the house, with Goten being a Super Saiyan and Gohan regular.

"Hey Goten,-" Gohan said, dodging a fist.

"You turned Super Saiyan 2, right?" He added, dodging more attacks.

He grabbed Goten's foot and spun him around before throwing him.

Goten recovered and dashed back into the action.

"I dunno." He said, throwing a barrage of punches.

"Why?" He added.

Gohan got hit in the cheek with a punch, then jumped back for some distance.

Goten rushed after him.

"Against Hirudegarn, your Super Saiyan power doubled." Gohan said, holding his hands out and firing many ki blasts.

Goten swatted most of them away.

"I remember that." He said.

Gohan teleported behind Goten, then kicked him in the back.

Goten did a flip before standing on the ground again.

"Can you do it now?" Gohan asked.

"Uh... I can try..." Goten said.

He tried powering up.

And ONLY powering up.

'Can Goten think of that need again?' Gohan thought.

The rocks around Goten started to rise.

Goten was trying as hard as he could to tap into that power...

"GNNNNNGH!" He grunted before eventually giving out.

He panted.

"I guess not..." Gohan said.

"How do you do it?" Goten asked.

"Raw emotion." Gohan said.

Or just a tingly feeling in your back...

"Once you can lock onto that need, or anger, like I can, then you can turn Super Saiyan 2." Gohan said.

"Okay... When do you think that'll happen?" Goten asked.

"With all these weird magical occurrences it should happen soon." Gohan said.

"Cool!" Goten said.

Starlight was approaching the two.

"Gohan! Goten!" She called.

Goten reverted back to base form and waved. "Hi Starlight!" He said.

"Hey! What's up?" Gohan asked.

"Well... See this?" Starlight asked, using her magic to show them the invitation she got.

It was an invitation to the Sunset Festival in the old village...

You know, the one she ruled over with an iron fist?

"Huh. Sounds fun." Gohan said.

"That's the thing... I'm scared to go alone." Starlight said.

"It must be because of... Well, your last impression..." Gohan said.

"What happened?" Goten asked.

"Well, I used to think that the way I thought ponies should live was good. But it was actually bad. In my old village, I implemented it, and after I was exposed, I came here." Starlight said.

"Ohh." Goten said.

"Do you still want to be friends?" Starlight asked.

"Why wouldn't I? You're not a bad guy anymore." Goten said, putting his hands on the back of his head.

"Oh. Well, that went better than expected." Starlight said.

"You want us to come?" Gohan asked.

"I mean... Yeah. I was told to have a friend or two come." Starlight said.

"Hm... I had plans today... But..." Gohan said, contemplating.

"Why don't I go?" Goten asked.

"You have something to do too, right?" He added.

"Yeah. I do." Gohan said.

"I don't." Goten said.

"So...?" Starlight asked.

"Well, if Goten really wants to go..." Gohan said.

"I do!" Goten said.

"Then you'll babysit for him?" Gohan asked.

"Yeah. I just needed someone to go with. Well, someone well known there, really. Just in case..." Starlight said.

"Ohh. I see. Wish I thought of that, but it doesn't matter now." Gohan said.

"What do you mean?" Starlight asked.

"Afterlife." Gohan said.

"Oh. Okay. Well, let's go, Goten." Starlight said, trotting away.

"Are you gonna be home when I get back?" Goten asked.

"Yeah. I will." Gohan said.

"Okay! Bye Gohan! See you later!" Goten said, following Starlight.

"Bye!" Gohan said, jumping on top of the house.

He looked in the other direction for something...

I'm not too sure.

"Now... I have two friends to my go with now! Better go get her." Starlight said.

"Who is it?" Goten asked.

***

They were outside Trixie's old coach.

It's pretty much her home.

She packed a few things...

"Who's that?" Goten asked.

Trixie got her hat and cape on and got out of her little abode.

"Who doe-..." Trixie said before...

Well, seeing Goten made her scared as hell.

"Trixie... This is Gohan's brother!" Starlight said.

"Your name is Trixie? I'm Goten." Goten said.

"He's not going to kill me, is he?" Trixie asked.

"Wha- No!" Starlight said.

"Why would I do that?" Goten asked.

"Oh... Just... Nothing." Trixie said.

She hasn't made up with Gohan yet, so.......

"Well, how long are we staying at wherever?" Goten asked.

"We'll try not to take long." Starlight said.

"Oh, I don't know, Starlight! Time really FLIES when you're spending it with your BEST friend!" Trixie said, wrapping a forehoof around Starlight.

She giggled, too.

'And hopefully his brother won't kill me for trying to be friends with him...' She thought.

"I haven't seen you before. Maybe WE could be best friends!" Goten said.

Trixie screamed internally.

"Sure!" She said with a smile.

***

After the long trek over to the village...

Well, not long.

Goten just flew them, but- You get the point.

He even carried the whole stagecoach for Trixie.

They were at the village.

Or, at the plateau near the place.

It really has changed.

All sorts of ponies with different cutie marks and cheerfulness and not fake smiles.

"Wow. Neat town." Goten said.

"There it is! The town that you-" Trixie said, before-

"-Magically stole everypony's cutie marks, replaced them with equal signs, and forced them all to hide their natural talents? Yes." Starlight said.

"I was going to say where you CAME from. But yours is more... Emotionally traumatic answer." Trixie said with a smile.

"I think my brother could come up with worse." Goten said.

"Like how?" Trixie asked.

"Twilight told me he had a few... Well, episodes." Starlight said. "Based on traumatic experiences." She added.

"He doesn't have them anymore, I think." Goten said.

"Yeah, he just had to go to hell and back." Starlight said.

"Why did you say that like it was a completely normal sentence?" Trixie asked.

"When you hang around them you get used to it." Starlight said.

"So, why did you give that answer, Starlight?" Trixie asked.

"I just want to blend in... Just another pony in the crowd for the Sunset Festival with my friends." Starlight said.

"Sounds good to me! And if things get weird, let me know. I've got your flank!" Trixie said.

"Is that a promise? You and Goten?" Starlight asked.

"Sure!" Goten said.

"No, a Great and Powerful Promise!" Trixie exclaimed, throwing a blast of smoke on the ground.

Made everyone cough.

"Well, I couldn't ask for more than that. If we're gonna do this, let's do it." Starlight said, walking towards the village.

***

The ponies in the village were setting things up again.

Party Favor and Double Diamond were setting up a banner until they noticed Starlight and her friends.

"Starlight!" Double Diamond said. "You came!" He added.

Starlight giggled nervously and waved.

"We were worried you wouldn't be able to make it! Are you staying the whole week? Who are your friends? We have different events planned each day!" Party Favor said.

Then other ponies came up.

"How is it living in a castle!?" Sugar Belle asked.

"It is SO good to see you!" Double Diamond said.

Trixie giggled. "Oh yeah, these ponies are SOO terrifying." She said sarcastically.

"You actually think they're terrifying?" Goten asked Trixie.

"No, that was sarcasm." Trixie said.

Starlight groaned, but then smiled again.

"It's good to see you all!" She said.

"You got here just in time. We were having some debate about these banners. Which do you think feels more 'sunsetty?'" Party Favor asked, and a few pegasus held up a few banners for Starlight.

"O-Oh, you don't need me to decide that... Whatever you think is probably best." Starlight said.

"I like the one on the right!" Goten said.

"Uh, well, how about helping us with the routes for the relay races tomorrow? Can you take a look?" Double Diamond asked.

"Oh, I... I shouldn't! You all go ahead, I just want to enjoy the festival..." Starlight said.

"But you WILL be a judge for the baking competition, right?" Sugar Belle asked.

"Ooh, I wanna do that!" Goten said.

"You do! Great! Uh... Hm... You look familiar..." Sugar Belle said, putting a hoof to her chin.

"No no, the mane's different, but the clothes are vaguely the same... It's not summer... But..." She kept rambling.

"Anyway... the unicorns have a fireworks show planned! We could really use your help!" Night Glider said.

The villagers kept asking for more and more crap.

Starlight was REALLY starting to crack under the pressure.

Well, with everyone fucking ganging up around her it would make anyone feel claustrophobic.

Starlight accidentally used her magic to repel everyone away.

"NO!" She yelled.

She hid her face in fear.

Everyone (except Trixie and Goten) fell and were getting themselves up.

They weren't really happy with that...

Trixie had to save her friend's reputation... So...

"The Great and Powerful Trixie would like to thank you ALL for being such an amazing audience. Sadly, it is time for us to depart. Good night, fillies and gentlefoals!" She said.

Then she unleashed blue smoke on everyone then disappeared with Starlight.

Goten was still standing.

"What just happened?" He asked.

Trixie and Starlight were about a tenth of a mile away from town before realizing-

"WE FORGOT THE BOY!" Trixie said.

"He's coming after us!" Starlight said.

Goten was already flying out of town.

The ponies all looked and chatted in shock.

"IT'S GOHAN!" Sugar Belle yelled.

Then they started chattering about Gohan because of his weird powers...

***

Goten was carrying the coach, walking with everyone else.

They wanted to take the long route home...

"Ugh! I was HORRIBLE when I led that town! I was ready for them to not trust me, but... I wasn't ready for them to put me in charge again! With my past, I should never be in charge of anything!" Starlight vented.

"So you messed up, big deal!" Trixie said.

Then she looked around to see any other ponies.

"Hey Goten... Could you get me some... Uh... A rock with a hilarious face on it?" She asked.

"Okay." Goten said, putting the coach down.

He jumped away to find rocks with a funny face on it.

Trixie leaned into Starlight's ear.

"Don't you tell EVER tell another pony I said this, but even Trixie's made mistakes!" She said, giggling afterward.

"I know! The trick is to just move on and pretend they never happened." She said.

"I feel like that's almost... Good advice. I mean, Gohan's done it." Starlight said.

"In what way?" Trixie asked.

"It would be better off if he just told you himself, I-I shouldn't give something like that away." Starlight said.

Then she realized a way to tell Trixie.

"Actually, nevermind. Gohan's the one who pretty much ended my rule. And basically humiliated me. When I was that monster. But, after stopping somepony from tearing dimensions apart, he just happened to see me two seconds after it happened and- Boom. Instant forgiveness." Starlight said.

Trixie had a bit of hope now...

"Really? That's interesting..." She said.

Goten came jumping down.

"I'm baaack!" He said, holding a giant rock over his head.

Trixie and Starlight looked in awe.

There was the most 'hilarious' face carved on it.

https://img1.etsystatic.com/139/1/6178122/il_570xN.924623037_p7q0.jpg

"How is it?" Goten asked.

Then they burst into laughter.

"And it's gooood!" Goten said.

***

The three were finally back in Ponyville.

Starlight noticed Pinkie hopping around.

"Hey, Pinkie Pie!" She called, running up to her.

"Hey!... Uh... You!" Pinkie said.

"So... you're probably wondering why I'm back so soon." Starlight said.

"Where were you?" Pinkie asked.

That confused Starlight a bit.

She told Pinkie already...

But Pinkie is Pinkie, she does things like this.

"I went to my old village? For the festival?" Starlight asked.

"OOH! Sounds fun! How was it!?" Pinkie asked.

"It was kind of a disaster... I came back early because I freaked out!" Starlight said.

"OOH! Sounds awful. Bye!" Pinkie said, hopping away.

Starlight was just confused.

Trixie and Goten walked up to her.

"That was... Strange." She said.

"Isn't she always strange?" Trixie asked, taking her cape and hat off.

"Yeah, but not like that." Starlight said.

"She didn't feel like Pinkie at all." Goten said.

Goten didn't feel right about Pinkie at all.

"How do you figure?" Trixie asked.

"She felt completely different than usual... Instead of a rapid and crazy energy, she had... A bit of a dark one." Goten said.

"That sounds... Bad." Starlight said.

Then she noticed Rarity and Applejack walking by.

"Hey!" She said, walking up to them.

"I'm back early!" She added.

Goten had a horrible feeling about this one too.

"Oh! Uh... Welcome back!" Rarity said.

"Have you two noticed Pinkie acting a little strange?" Starlight asked.

"Pinkie Pie ALWAYS acts strange." Applejack said.

"You feel strange too..." Goten said.

"What do you mean?" Rarity asked.

"Hm... Maybe I'm having an off day, but you two feel dark." Goten said.

"It must be your imagination, darling. We're happy!" Rarity said.

That's not what he meant...

But Goten shrugged.

"Anyway... Anyway, I wanted to talk to all of you. Things didn't go the way I thought they were going to go at the Sunset Festival." Starlight said.

"What happened?" Rarity asked.

"I kind of freaked out and ran out of the village." Starlight said.

Applejack and Rarity started laughing...

Inconsiderate!

Goten was sure that there was something wrong going on.

"I'm going to go get my brother, you watch them. I have a bad feeling about this." Goten whispered to Starlight and Trixie.

He flew away.

"You freaked out and ran away from a festival!? Hah! That's the dang funniest thing I've heard all day!" Applejack said.

"Him flying would be more terrifying than THAT!" Rarity said.

"Oh wait, wait. Let me guess. The decorations were terrifying!" She sneered before laughing again.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy landed beside Applejack in Rarity.

Fluttershy whispered something into Rarity's ear.

Something about... Friendship business?

"Hello, ponies. We need Rarity and Applejack for VERY important Friendship business." Rainbow Dash said.

They all started trotting away...

"Do you need to find Gohan?" Starlight asked.

"Why would we? He's not important." Rainbow Dash said.

"But... Why does he have a throne, then?" Starlight asked.

They just ignored her from there.

"I have to say, I'm really not as impressed with your friends as the rest of Equestria is." Trixie said.

"Well, the two aliens are an exception. Flying without wings? Moving stuff without magic?" She added.

"I have to talk to Twilight!" Starlight said, rushing to the castle.

Let's check in on Goten.

"Gohan?" He asked, opening the door to their home.

He wasn't there.

'I should be able to sense him from anywhere on this world... Right?' Goten thought.

So he started looking all over Equestria.

'Gohan should know the answer... He's always got the answer!' He thought.

Back to Starlight.

She tried opening the doors to the castle...

But it was locked.

Starlight knocked now. "Twilight? Hello?" She asked.

Spike opened a small hatch in the door.

"What you YOU want? Twilight's VERY busy!" He yelled.

Rude!

"Spike, I really need to speak with her." Starlight said.

"Make an appointment! She's a princess, after all!" Spike yelled, slamming the hatch shut.

Starlight knocked again, puzzled by his odd behavior.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you being so-" Starlight said before-

"Rude?" Twilight asked, opening the door.

Spike was standing on top of a stool.

"I think a certain dragon didn't get his NAP today." Twilight scolded.

Spike got off the stool and dragged it away.

"Yeah, right. Whatever." Spike said.

"Sorry. He's been acting a little off all day." Twilight said.

"He's not the only one. Everypony's acting a little strange today." Starlight said.

"Yes, it's definitely been one of those days! How are you?" Twilight asked.

"Not great, actually. You're probably wondering why I'm back from the village so early." Starlight said.

"I didn't want to bring it up, but yeah, it did seem strange. Did it not go well?" Twilight said.

"The townsponies kept asking me things, like they expected me to be in charge again. But being a leader is the LAST thing I should ever be. So we left. Very suddenly. In a literal puff of smoke." Starlight said.

"Wow, you should definitely never go back to that village." Twilight said uncharacteristically.

"What?" Starlight asked, genuinely confused.

Then Goten came flying in.

"Starlight, I can't find Gohan ANYWHERE in Equestria!" He said.

"Y-You can't?" Starlight asked.

"I looked under and over every rock, building, pony, pebble, and city! He's nowhere! And I can't sense him either!" Goten said.

"Maybe he's in the Land of the Kais?" Starlight asked.

"Ohh. Then he would've left a note... Oh well. Hey Twilight!" Goten said.

Something was off about her too.

"Yeah... Hey." Twilight said.

"I barely recognized you with the weak power level and the dark ki and... The strange ani...mosity... And... Wait..." Goten said before putting on a mean face.

"I have some very important friendship business to get to, so can I leave-"

"SHORYUKEN!" Goten yelled, fucking uppercutting the fuck out of Twilight.

Well, more like an uppercut turned horizontal.

She barged through the doors of the throne room, and stopped when she hit the wall.

Cracking it.

"GOTEN! Why did you do that!?" Starlight screamed.

"I am the Princess of Friendship, how dare you-" "-Princess of about to get a royal beating! Or should I say prince!?" Goten interrupted.

"What are you going on about!?" Starlight asked.

Goten blasted Twilight again with a minor ki blast, and...

And...

"A changeling!?" Starlight asked.

"THEY'RE BACK!?" She screamed.