Soon the busses arrived at Canterlot College, and all the students were there to greet them, as well as Principal Celestia and VP Luna, since Cadance was their adoptive niece.

Cadance and Shining Armor were overjoyed to see them, and shared a welcome hug. The Canterlot students thought it sweet, but the Crystal Preps merely scoffed and rolled their eyes.

Then the students’ eyes met with one another, and the Crystal Preps didn’t look a bit friendly nor interested in making friends. Sapphire Sunlight, the Princess of Friendship had been told about the rivalry between the two schools and she was told not to try and make friends with them. But being the girl that she is, her friends knew she would still try. Emerald was present as well, being that he used to go to the school, he stood by Sapphire as he saw his old classmates, who were snarling at him for being with Sapphire.

What Crystal Prep didn’t know was that Sapphire was the hybrid human with wings and a horn let alone a Princess. The gang hid her features for fear that she might get a consideration for cheating cause of them.

Nevertheless, everyone was welcomed in for the welcoming party. The games would begin in the afternoon after the opening ceremonies.

Meanwhile, there was nothing to do that morning but party and try to get along.

Soon, they were gathered in the gymnasium along with all the other students from both schools, and things did not seem to be getting along that well.

Though the place was decked out nicely with all the decorations and food tables, and everything else, practically the entire place; Canterlot students stood on one end of the gymnasium, the Crystal Preps took up all of the other. Neither side seemed willing to make any efforts to interact with one another, but mostly it was the Crystal Preps nasty attitude that drove them apart.

Indigo crushed a cup in her hand and declared, “You guys are so going down this year.”

Many of the students stood beside her hissing like snakes and snarling like angry creatures.

Fluttershy felt creeped out, some of the others were irritated by their attitudes, and others, including Sunset were growing quite concerned. This was not a good start towards the so-called “Friendship” Games. The only one who even tried to go near them was Sapphire Sunlight. “What do you want, fresh meat?” Indigo hissed.

“I just wanted to say hi.” Sapphire said with her usual smile. She was wearing a cloak to hide her wings and a special hat that would hide her horn as well. “Well we got one word for you… beat it!” Indigo yelled. She was about to pounce on her when Snowflake got between them and gave a warning growl. All of Crystal Prep froze at the sight of her. “GAH, what’s that?! An overgrown lizard?!” Sour Sweet said.

“No, this is Snowflake. One of my best friends.” Sapphire said with a smile. Snowflake nuzzled Sapphire. “Hehehehe, stop it girl. Hehehehe.” Crystal Prep was speechless.

Meanwhile, back with the friends, “Gee, I never thought I’d say this…” said Pinkie “But this party is kind of a… downer.”

“Ya think?” said Rainbow. “Why can’t we just get the games over with and be done with this already?”

“That’s not how it goes, Rainbow.” said Buddy “Besides, you know as well as we all do these games last all through the weekend.”

“At least our accommodations and quite provided for.” said Rarity “Mr. Grandruler did permit us all to stay over the night and paid well for our provisions and such.”

“Speaking of Grandruler, shouldn’t he be here already?” asked Dyno.

“Oh, you know these businessmen, always busy like bees.” said Myte.

The party still didn’t seem to be getting any livelier, and Pinkie stood firmly and said “I think it’s time to crack open a can of my specialty.”

“Careful, Pinkie…” said Sunset “You know what could happen if you overdose it.”

“Ah, don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”

She swiftly went around, placing trays of cupcakes and other fancy treats on the snack-tables, and then took the DJ’s place one stage and shouted “Okay, everyone, it’s time to REALLY PARTAE!!”

With that, she fired her party cannons of confetti, changed the lighting, and cranked up the music, and the students from both schools couldn’t help but move to the beat, finally starting to get into the partying mood.

“Yeah, now that’s more like it.” Pinkie hollered, and that’s when she began to glow as he magic began to show.

“Pinkie…!” Artie called to her softly, and gave her the kill-gesture. Pinkie quickly stopped before she gave it all away to the Crystal Prep students. Thankfully, they were all too busy partying to notice…

---

That afternoon, everyone was gathered in the big fields in the back of the school, which were all decked up and the whole place resembled that of a small stadium.

The Starfleet gang were all dressed up in their outfits that Rarity made them, and were now waiting in their dugout to be called out.

“Well, here we go again.” said Sunset “You all ready?”

The others gave her a thumbs-up, but they did not seem very optimistic. “Ready to seize another easy win.” said Artie.

Even Rainbow didn’t feel much like this was anything to jump for joy. “Well, at least we’re playing sports.” she said, trying to feel the flow. “Not working.”

“Well, I’m ready.” Pinkie said with glee “Ready to go out there and really have some fun. That’s what the friendship games are all about, right?”

Fluttershy however was still worried about the Crystal Prep athletes “They really seemed raving mad. I think they really want to win this year.”

“Who doesn’t?” said Dyno.

“I think she means they may try to cheat their ways in.” added Myte “Even I can feel they were.”

“I say we just let ‘em.” said Applejack.

Rarity gasped in shock “Applejack, how can you say such a thing? Cheating at the games; could there be anything more inconsiderate and more indiscreet.”

“All I’m sayin’ is, it’d be nice to have at least some form of challenge to these here games.”

The others still didn’t feel too optimistic. “What about Sapphire and her magic, you know she can’t control her animal abilities.” Rainbow reminded everyone. Her animal abilities kick in instinctively so they had no way of telling her not to use them. “Now Rainbow as long as she wears the cloak, she’ll be fine.” Buddy reassured. As long as Sapphire didn't reveal her wings and horn everything would be fine... or so they thought.

The gang all exchanged looks of readiness and all dashed out into the field, and the Crystal Prep athletes as well.

The crowds cheered like crazy as the players soon lined up on opposite ends of the tracks.

Celesto sat proudly from his position with the other staff members and spoke clearly into his microphone.

“Hello and welcome one and all to the new Canterlot High Stadium for the annual Friendship Games of Canterlot High VS Crystal Prep Academy.”

The crowds cheered louder than ever and chanted for their respective schools.

The Canterlot gang all waved to everyone, but the CPAs sneered and growled fiercely as their opponents.

Fluttershy couldn’t help but gulp hard, but the others all stood strong.

Indigo was determined more than ever to beat them all and really put them in their place. She whispered silently to Sour Sweet “Is everything all setup.”

Sour Sweet nodded her head sweetly and then her features hardened “And if you ask again you may not be around to actually play in the events.”

Indigo gnashed her teeth, but remained calm.

Then, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Daphne Dill all marched from the school and into the stadium, carrying with them each a large key.

“Ah…” Celesto announced “I see the Crusaders are here to activate the traditional glow torch.”

The girls each climbed a separate set of stairs leading to a small console to insert their keys into. Once all the keys were in place, they all counted backwards from five to one, and all turned their keys, causing the large torch in the center of it all to ignite with artificial and harmless flames.

“That’s it!” cried Celesto “The torch is now lit thanks to the girls’ cooperation and efforts. Let the games begin!”

The first event was already well underway; a simple five-hundred meter dash. The contestants were all lined up and soon… they were off!

The first event, Canterlot won, due to the team having excellent running skills, as usual.

“Okay, it’s on!” growled Indigo.

Pole-Vaulting!

Artie’s opponent cleared his jump perfectly, but when Artie went up, and dashed with his pole at the ready, as soon as he stuck his pole into the ground for the leap, it snapped before Artie could spring himself up, and he crashed onto the ground.

The crowd gasped, the CPA students all laughed at him, and Indigo secretly sniggered at the deliberate sabotage. However, Artie wasn’t beaten yet, and picked up the remains of his pole, sticking it hard into the ground, and he actually leapt up on top of it, and then gave a huge leap, up, up and over the bar.

The crowd gasped in awe, and Lightning was most intrigued. “How did he do that?”

The referee’s checked the rulebook, but could nothing to challenge the action with. So the round was a tie.

Indigo was really annoyed and couldn’t believe it.

In the fencing competition, it was Rhymey against Lemon Zest.

“Ah, Lemon Zest,

I hear you’re the best.” he complimented.

“Shut up, and keep your compliments to yourself!” snarled Lemon “I can’t you still use those stupid rhymes to talk!”

Rhymey’s features hardened, but decided to let his blade to the talking, and sure enough, he beat her in a total washout.

“My rhymes are neither dumb nor stupid or lame

But they have nothing to do with how I play my game.

So I suggest that next time you show respect and more

I leave you now to wallow in defeat upon the floor.”

And he left, leaving Lemon to angrily pound the ground.

Indigo was even more angry than ever, especially when she found out that her friends had forgotten to switch out Rhymey’s good blade with a rusted one as part of their plan to cheat.

In a three legged race, racers all dashed along, but suddenly, Indigo and Sugar Coat sneakily dropped a couple of wads of very sticky chewing gum in the way of the Spanish twins.

The twins toddled along the gooey gum, and their cleats got stuck and they fell over. Indigo and Sugar snickered as they continued to race.

“You okay?” asked Dyno.

“Si, but the race!” cried Myte.

Rather than try and unstick their shoes, the boys then gazed at each other and nodded and quickly jumped out of their cleats, and tied their arms together and began to race on their hands.

Once again, the referees found no rule that could challenge it, seeing as no one ever tried racing on their hands before.

They caught right up to Indigo and Sugar. The girls could not believe what they were seeing and it became a neck and neck tight run to the finish, but Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie had already claimed first place and another easy win for Canterlot.

The Crystal Preps were starting to lose their patience, but it was just no use.

Even during the next event which was a simple tug-of-war; Buddy Rose against a strong male from Crystal Prep.

They stood atop two tall pillars and would have to pull until one or the other fell from his stand.

“We can’t lose this time.” hissed Indigo “I replaced the plating on our guy’s stand with a special magnetic field that our genius from campus rigged up, and he made sure to put the iron pellets into his cleats. There’s no way he can be moved.”

Sugar Coat blinked once “You frighten me sometimes, ya know that?”

Indigo scoffed and watched the match.

The two boys pulled and pulled, and Buddy Rose was already showing signs of losing the match “What’s going on? I can’t budge him!”

The other guy pulled and pulled hard well, despite his was big and ripped, that still didn’t mean he was in good shape, and he started to lose his breath and was sweating more than Buddy was.

Of course, his shoes didn’t move an inch!

“Come on! Come on!” shouted Buddy as he pulled and pulled, and suddenly the other guy got yanked right out from his shoes and fell from his stand, pulling Buddy down with him.

Since the other guy fell first, Buddy was declared the winner.

Indigo turned bright red with rage like a boiling kettle!

More and more events occurred, and despite Indigo’s best cheating efforts, Canterlot still won. Sunset even dominated the dirt-biking course.

“Don’t you guys ever lose?” Indigo snarled angrily.

“Maybe or maybe we don’t.” Sunset playfully said.

Indigo angrily threw her helmet to the ground and kicked her bike like a mad-girl.

Cadance and Shining Armor sighed heavily, feeling that once again everything was going to be one-sided. Celesto, Celestia and Luna hated seeing the two like that, but the two sisters couldn’t dare ask their students to simply stop winning, and Celesto, though he was pleased that Canterlot was winning, he too felt the boredom and dissatisfaction from all the easy victories. It wasn’t good for Crystal Prep, nor all any other school he supervised as Chairman of the schoolboard.

“Now for archery!” he announced “Starla Shine and Sour Sweet take their positions as the targets are set.”

Sour and Starla glared at each other strongly, and the contest was on. The two girls were phenomenal and hit their every target perfectly. So perfectly the score was tied, and so a final shot would decide it all, and one last special target was set.

This special target was made by Indigo, in a last ditch effort to try and humiliate Canterlot high at the games.

“And just how is this supposed to work?” asked Lemon Zest.

“Just watch.” hissed Indigo.

The target was set firmly and Sour was up first. She fired her shot, and the target spun round and around and around and stopped with its backside facing the archers…just as Indigo had set it to do.

The spotter checked the shot “Not quite a bullseye, but still a hard shot to best.”

“Turn the target back please.” Starla said.

The referee blew his whistle “Wait! You can’t. The rules state that the target must not be altered.”

The Canterlot crowds were outraged, even the two sisters were.

“This is an outrage.” said Luna. Her sister agreed and asked Celesto “Can’t you lodge a protest?”

Her husband shook his head “I can’t, the rules are the rules, but I am concerned as to how this happened?”

He had already begun to suspect cheating was a foot, but without proper proof, he couldn’t point any fingers or lodge any protests.

“Aw, isn’t that a shame…” Sour said sweetly, and then she sneered “How can you hit a target you can’t even see?”

But Starla just stood where she was with her arms folding and a smug grin on her face. “This is what I get for playing with amateurs.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

Starla licked the tip of her finger and held it up to feel the wind, and then calculated all the angles and velocities she needed. “Watch and learn…” she said as she backed further away from her standing point, and turned to her right.

Twilight watched with astonishment and curiosity “What’s she up to?” she wondered.

Starla then armed her bow, and then shot her arrow sending it banking off of metal poles and other obstacles and it went straight at the center of the target, while reciting a rhyme of her own which went…

“I shot an arrow in the sky

And when it hit they yelled…”

“…Bullseye!” shouted the spotter

Sour’s mouth hung wide open in shock, and the Canterlot crowds cheered for joy.

Indigo finally gave in and fell to her knees, but she was in far too much shock to speak or even more. Sugar even gave her a small flick. “I think she’s out of these games.”

Starla waved to everyone, and then she looked up at the main judges stands where Lightning sat with the others, and their eyes met. He couldn’t help but nod proudly at her.

She smiled at him, and then ran off to join her teammates.

Now it was Sapphire’s turn to go and this event was an obstacle course again Indigo Zap.

The whistle blew and the two girls were off. Indigo was swiftly moving through the obstacle course wearing a small smirk. Her and her friends had placed sticky, gooey mud in Sapphire’s lane so she would get stuck and lose. Sapphire was moving through the obstacle course with no problem at all.

Then came the mud pit, while Indigo Zap dove right into the mud. Sapphire stopped, and turned back, much to the confusion of everyone.

“What is Sapphire doing?” Rainbow asked.

“HA, looks like your newbie is giving up.” Sour Sweet taunted.

“I don’t think so… Look!” Artie pointed back and saw Sapphire sprinting towards the mud and taking a large leap across it!

“Is she nuts?!” Sunset cried.

But to the amazement of everyone…. Sapphire cleared the jump and crossed the finish line before Indigo Zap made it out of the mud pit.

The Canterlot crowds went wild for Sapphire, cheering for her job well done. “That’s our girl!” Rainbow cheered as Sapphire came over to them.

“You were amazing, Sapphire.” Fluttershy said.

“Hehe, thank you.” Sapphire said with a blushed face.

“Not so bad for your first Friendship Games.” Rainbow commented.

“And that’s all for today…” Celesto announced “What a performance we’ve seen today by the Canterlot High Wondercolts.”

The Canterlot crowds cheered, but the Crystal Prep students booed and hissed, much to the chagrin of Cadance and Shining Armor, and even the others were annoyed by their poor attitudes as well.

“Tomorrow the games continue with the Academic Decathlon, where the points will doubled, and Crystal Prep may still catch up yet. So get a goodnight’s sleep and be ready for tomorrow here at the Friendship Games.”.

Next Chapter: Episode 9: Friendship and Pokemon Games: Part 2 Estimated time remaining: 4 Hours, 42 Minutes