MY LITTLE PONY: EQUESTRIA GIRLS

Executive producers: Stephen Davis, Chris Bartleman, Kirsten Newlands

Produced by Sarah Wall, Devon Cody

Written by Meghan McCarthy

Directed by Jayson Thiessen

Transcribed by Alan Back (ajback@yahoo.com)

Notes:                The breaks between acts are somewhat arbitrary, and have been chosen so that

                each act (or the prologue plus Act One) has approximately the same running time

                as a typical episode.

                All background lyrics are in square brackets; any marked with exclamation points

                are shouted rather than sung.

Prologue

(Opening shot: fade in to the moon hanging big and bright in the night sky. Most of it is covered in a faint shadow, leaving a bright crescent around one edge. Three stars twinkle prominently near it as the camera slowly pivots downward through a sky in which the sun is sinking toward the horizon. It passes an overhead shot of the Crystal Empire, then moves on to the road leading through the grassy outskirts and finally stops on the train station. A train chugs up and hisses to a stop; cut to the platform. Excited murmuring can be heard in the distance, its source revealed when the train pulls away—Twilight Sparkle, her friends, and Spike following the path toward the glimmering city.)

(Cut to a close-up of them passing along one of its streets, with only Rainbow Dash flying overhead and Spike towing a wheeled suitcase. Applejack walks alongside Twilight as the others spread out.)

Applejack: Hoo-wee! Your very first Princess Summit. You must be over the moon, Twilight.

Twilight: Oh, I am excited—but to be honest, I’m a little nervous too. (Pinkie Pie shoves her head into frame, startling them both.)

Pinkie: You’re nervi-cited! (jumping high, echoing) It’s like you want to jump up and down and yell, “YAY ME!!” (small voice, curling into herself, rocking back and forth) But you also want to curl up in a teeny tiny ball and hide at the same time.

(The split-second emotional shift ends as she gets herself upright again, works out all the kinks, and zips over to Twilight.)

Pinkie: We’ve all been there. (She gives a noogie to the dark blue mane and zips off.)

Fluttershy: I’m there almost every day.

Applejack: You got no reason to fret, Twi. Everythin’s gonna be just— (Rarity, on the edge of total panic, races up to Twilight.)

Rarity: Twilight! (calmer, touching Twilight’s face/bending her head down) Oh, sorry, darling, but I just realized you’re not wearing your crown. (She looks Twilight in the eye.) You haven’t forgotten it back in Ponyville, have you?

Twilight: It’s in my bag. (Spike pats the suitcase; Rarity backs off.) Just feel a little self-conscious about wearing it.

(Her wings—newly acquired as of “Magical Mystery Cure”—suddenly spread upward, and she eyes them with visible trepidation.)

Twilight: (flapping a bit) Haven’t really gotten accustomed to these yet, either.

(A bit more wing work causes her to hover lopsidedly just above the ground for a few seconds, after which she thuds down on her belly.)

Rarity: You are a princess now, Twilight. Embrace it. I’m telling you, if I had a crown like that, I would never take it off. Why, I’d sleep in the thing.

(The holder of said crown allows herself a slightly exasperated smile. Dissolve to a close-up of two closed doors, which swing open to reveal the throne room of the Crystal Castle. Armored crystal ponies standing guard on either side of the pink-carpeted aisle blow a fanfare, and the other three Princesses stand before the throne. Celestia is in the center, Luna and Cadence to her right and left, respectively. Of the visitors, the most taken aback by this greeting is Twilight, who advances wonderingly along the carpet. Not paying attention to where she is going, she veers off and bumps into a pegasus guard stallion whose yellow-tan coat is nearly the same shade as the gold armor he wears. His tail and helmet crest exhibit two shades of deep blue, and his eyes are a lighter but still vivid blue.)

Guard: Her Highness, Princess Twilight Sparkle!

(Giggling, Cadence steps across to her, with Celestia not far behind; the sisters-in-law nuzzle happily.)

Cadence: Twilight! I haven’t seen you since the coronation. (Luna joins them.)

Celestia: We have so much to discuss— (Twilight’s friends step in.) —but it can wait until tomorrow. You all look tired from your journey. Now off to bed, all of you.

(They exit amid a flurry of chatter and a few excited outbursts from Pinkie. Dissolve to Twilight and Spike in a bedroom lit only by a lamp on a nightstand and a broad shaft of soft moonlight through the windows. She is using her magic to unpack her suitcase, while he makes up a small bed in a basket that sits on the floor not far from hers. A stack of books is first to go in a drawer; next she levitates out her tiara and regards it worriedly for a moment. A quick spin puts it the right way around, and she settles it on her head and ponders her reflection in a mirror. Her sigh prompts Spike to pause in making his bed.)

Spike: What’s wrong, Twilight?

Twilight: I don’t know, Spike. I’m just…worried, I guess. (turning to face him) Princess Cadence was given the Crystal Empire to rule over. What if now that I’m a princess, Celestia expects me to lead a kingdom of my own?

Spike: (crossing to her, emphasizing every word) That would be awesome!

Twilight: (mimicking him) No, it would not! (stepping past, normal tone) Just because I have this crown and these wings, it doesn’t mean I’ll be a good leader!  

(During this second sentence, she flares her wings and floats the tiara off her head, the camera cutting to a close-up as it comes to rest on her nightstand. Back to her, now sitting on the edge of her bed, and Spike.)

Spike: (crossing to her) Aw, sure you will, Twilight. Now come on. (He tucks her in.) You should get some shut-eye. (turning to lamp) Big day tomorrow.

(A click, and the lamp is out to darken the room. He drops o.s. toward his bed with a contented sigh; cut to an overhead shot of the entire room, the silence punctuated only by a bit of wind whistling past the window. The winged unicorn moans softly to herself as she settles down, and the camera cuts to an extreme close-up of the snoozing Spike’s face. His trip to dreamland ends very suddenly with the sound of a rustle and groan.)

Twilight: (from o.s.) Can’t…

(He sits up and looks toward the bed, the camera panning to frame both it and one occupant whose wings steadfastly refuse to behave themselves, no matter how she wrestles with them.)

Twilight: …tuck…

(She flips onto her side with a groan, only for one feathered appendage to spring out from under the blanket.)

Twilight: (sitting up, shoving it down) Just trying to get comfortable!

(She lies down, the camera zooming in slowly—and then it quickly zooms out to frame both wings popping away from her flanks and dumping the blanket over her in an untidy heap. A fed-up groan issues from beneath the cloth. The entire view fades to black except for the six-pointed star jewel in her tiara, which slowly floats to the right as the credits begin.)

OPENING CREDITS

Act One

(The credits end with the movie’s logo displayed against a starry night sky. Tilt down from this past the moon and its three bright stars, and stop on the exterior of the Crystal Castle. All is peaceful in these streets; dissolve to a corridor within, where a unicorn guard is on patrol with his horn illuminated as a flashlight. As he passes out of sight, the camera zooms in slowly on a pair of double doors at the corridor’s end behind him; in close-up, a burst of magic flares behind the keyholes and one door creaks partway open. Cut to the other side, a long shot of the departing guard, seen through the half-opening, then to another corridor. A shadow works its way along the wall, but stops short of the circle of light cast by the now-approaching unicorn. He stops, flicking the spot side to side, but does not notice the shadow’s source—a hooded and cloaked figure—steal past behind him.)

(Away he goes, shadow and intruder hurrying along the passage; cut to the sliver of light cast underneath a door into a darkened room. Hooves stop on the other side, and the camera tilts up in time to catch the glow of magic being applied to the door handle. As soon as it fades away, the black screen snaps to a close-up of Twilight—now sleeping comfortably—as a widening shaft of light from the opening door falls across her face.)

(A brief overhead shot frames the entering interloper, headed straight for Twilight’s bed; at ground level, the figure passes the heartily snoring Spike and closes in on the tiara. Its eyes can now be seen as a pale blue-green, and its horn glows to lift the tiara off the nightstand—but in doing so, the lamp topples away as well. A last-second telekinetic grab keeps it from shattering on the tiles, and neither Princess nor dragon does much other than stir a bit. Just enough light now falls on the face to reveal the thief as a yellow-orange mare. The lamp goes back in place, and the trespassing unicorn shifts Twilight’s tiara into the cloak’s folds and brings out a not-quite-identical copy to settle on the nightstand. Once it is in place, she turns to exit the room, but trips on Spike’s tail when he inadvertently flicks it over the side of his basket. A tumble o.s., a thud, and he sits bolt upright.)

Spike: Huh? What?

(The unauthorized unicorn comes up to a half-slump in the light from the doorway, and the cloak has shifted to expose a fringe of red mane streaked with yellow. Now Twilight sits up with a sleepy moan and glances toward the mare; the camera catches a flash of light from the exposed star jewel of her tiara, then zooms in quickly to a close-up.)

Twilight: (now o.s.) My crown! (Back to her.) She’s got my crown!

(The thief bursts out through the doors and into a full gallop before Twilight can do much more than get her head out.)

Twilight: Stop! Thief!

(Now she gets her legs in gear and gives chase as the other five ponies put their heads out from their own bedroom doors.)

Twilight: She’s stolen my crown!

(Various sleepy/confused mutterings from the others as Spike races after Twilight, who warms up her horn and teleports ahead of the fugitive.)

Twilight: Stop!

(Not a chance; she teleports away, leaving her cloak to billow into Twilight’s face, and materializes directly behind her so that she is seen in full for the first time. Sunset Shimmer’s red/yellow mane and tail are done in curling waves, her cutie mark is a yellow/red sun with flames issuing from it, and she wears a pair of saddlebags. Throwing a cocky glance over her shoulder, she sprints off down the corridor, only to find all six Ponyville mares hot on her trail a moment later. Twilight snaps at Sunset’s tail, gets only air, then tackles her to the floor. However, their combined momentum carries them through a set of closed double doors and into a room filled with various artifacts as the others hurry to catch up. Most prominent among the lot is a large mirror set in a frame styled as an upside-down horseshoe, mounted on a small round platform.)

(The stolen tiara flies out of Sunset’s saddlebags, ricochets around the room, then sails toward the mirror. Instead of shattering the glass, though, it passes right through and leaves a pattern of glowing ripples that soon fade away in a shower of sparks. Gasps from all but Sunset, who merely smirks as Twilight rounds on her.)

Twilight: What did you do with my crown? (Sunset’s voice drips with malice.)

Sunset: Sorry it had to be this way… (She teleports over to the mirror.) …Princess. (She dives through; another round of gasps.)

Fluttershy: Who was that?

(Dissolve to a long shot of the throne room; it is now the following morning. Cadence sits on the royal seat, while Celestia and Luna stand one level down to her left and right, respectively. All six mares and one dragon are lined up on Celestia’s side of the carpet, paying close attention. Zoom in slowly.)

Celestia: Sunset Shimmer, a former student of mine.

(Cut to a slow pan along the row, front end to back, where Twilight and Spike are standing.)

Celestia: (from o.s.) She began her studies with me not long before Twilight. But when she did not get what she wanted as quickly as she liked, she turned cruel and dishonest. (Back to her.) I tried to help her… (Cadence steps closer.) …but she eventually decided to abandon her studies and pursue her own path. (Cut to Twilight and Spike; she continues o.s.) One that has sadly led her to stealing your crown.

Spike: (holding up the fake) She replaced Twilight’s with this one.

Celestia: (studying it, then pacing) I suppose Sunset Shimmer thought you wouldn’t notice right away that this was not yours, and by the time you did… (Twilight catches up.) …it would be too late to go after your crown and Element of Harmony.

Twilight: But I don’t understand! Where did she go? (All others follow them.) Where did she take the crown?

Celestia: You’ll soon know more about this place than even I do.

(Dissolve to a close-up of the mirror and zoom in slowly.)

Luna: (stepping into view before it) This is no ordinary mirror. It is a gateway to another world—a gateway that opens once every thirty moons.

(One bright pink hoof reaches into view and taps the glass, creating the same phosphorescent ripples that occurred when the tiara passed through it.)

Pinkie: (from o.s.) Sparkly!

(The dark-coated sovereign rolls her eyes disgustedly, using her magic to push the limb back. Cut to a longer shot of the relic collection; Cadence is here as well, along with the six mares and dragon.)

Luna: It has always been kept in the throne room of Canterlot Castle. (Cut to a slow pan across the seven; she continues o.s.) But when Princess Cadence took over the Crystal Empire, we sent it here for her to watch over. (Celestia enters behind them with a heavy sigh.)

Celestia: I had always hoped that Sunset Shimmer would someday use it to return, to come back to Equestria seeking my guidance. (bitterly) Obviously, this is not what has happened.

Cadence: (from o.s.) Twilight… (Step forward; cut to her.) …you must use the mirror to go into this other world and retrieve your crown. Without it, the other Elements of Harmony have no power and Equestria is left without one of its most important means of defense.

(Cut to Twilight, steadily approaching the mirror, on the end of this. She stops to give it a searching, unsure gaze; her friends and number-one assistant trade fearful looks among themselves. The camera then cuts to Twilight, Luna, and Cadence and zooms out slowly from them and the glass as Celestia steps toward them.)

Luna: Your crown does not belong in the place Sunset Shimmer now calls home. And in her possession, your Element of Harmony will no doubt be used to bring harm to the inhabitants of this other realm. (Cut to Twilight, eyeing the mirror; she continues o.s.) They will not have the power to defend themselves.

(A pair of saddlebags is floated onto her back and one open flap is closed—by Rarity, judging from the color of the aura moving them.)

Celestia: (stepping up behind) You understand the importance of your task?

Twilight: Of course.

Celestia: Good. Then you must go at once.

(The purple eyes narrow in sudden determination and she takes a deep breath, letting it out as she steps toward the mirror. Before she can even get a hoof onto its mounting platform, however, Rainbow swoops down and lands squarely in her path.)

Rainbow: Whoa, whoa, whoa. (extreme close-up, grinning fiercely) She’s going? (Zoom out; the other four mares stand with her, smiling.) We’re going with her. (Big squeaky grin from Pinkie.) Right, girls?

Pinkie: (giddily) Oooooh! I’m so nervi-cited!

Applejack: You do realize that’s not a real word, right?

(Cut to a close-up of Twilight, who smiles warmly at this show of dedication. On the start of the next line, one gold-shod hoof lands on her shoulder and the camera zooms out to frame Celestia alongside.)

Celestia: I’m afraid I can’t let you go. (Shock all around.)

Rainbow: What?!? (stomping a hoof) Why not?

Celestia: Sending all of you could upset the balance of this alternate world… (Cut to a slow pan across the other five; she continues o.s.) …creating havoc that would make it impossible for Twilight to get the crown back from Sunset Shimmer. (Back to Twilight and Celestia.) This is something Princess Twilight must do alone.

Luna: Time is of the essence. On the third day, when the moon reaches its peak in the night sky…

(On the end of this, the camera tilts up from her to an image she has conjured up: the moon slowly shifting position in said sky as the shadow covering most of its surface moves to leave only a ring of light around the periphery. It covers one of the three stars, flaring up brightly ,and the shadow fades away.)

Luna: (from o.s.) …the gateway will close. And once it does… (Overhead view of the entire group; the picture vanishes.) …it will be another thirty moons before you will be able to use it to return.

(Ground level; Twilight moves toward the portal as the other five voice assorted words of support. One light violet hoof touches the surface in extreme close-up; in a longer shot, she pulls it away from the simmering magic and looks back over her shoulder. A gentle but firm nod from her mentor gives her the steel she needs to make herself step through and disappear from sight. Spike, though, gives in to his nerves and races through the knot of ponies, too fast even for Applejack to intercept.)

Other five: SPIKE, NO!!

(His perspective on this second word, barreling toward the glass and making contact in a flare of white that fills the screen. Fade in to a tunnel of pastel-colored streaks flashing past the camera; Princess and dragon tumble screaming into view and toward the far end, their bodies elongating to an impossible degree as if made of taffy. After both have disappeared into the brightness at that far end, the view snaps to black.)

(The darkness splits lengthwise and parts slowly as if it were an eye blinking open; the view, slightly out of focus, is that of a ladybug crossing a patch of cement. Twilight’s weary moan is heard, marking this as her perspective.)

Spike: (from o.s.) Uh, Twilight? (Her vision begins to clear.)

Twilight: Huh? (She looks to her right.) Spike?

(Her focusing blink is followed by the approach of a light violet dog with light yellow-green underbelly and darker, floppy ears that strongly resemble his normal bat-wing ones. Around his neck is a blue studded collar with a gold tag marked by a pink heart; on the next line, she lifts her head slightly to take in the changed face, which still has his original green eyes.)

Twilight: You’re not supposed to…

(Her eyes shift to his paws, then ears and tail. A few pale spots mark his rear end.)

Twilight: Spike? (Back to his face.) Are you a… (Blink; zoom out to frame all of him.) …dog?

(Yes indeed; he even has a tuft of green fur on top of his head to resemble the spines that grow up there. He is standing on a sidewalk in a typical-looking suburban neighborhood during the day. The ladybug is crawling past him, and he circles in place, trying to chase his tail.)

Spike: (hesitantly, wagging it) I think so, but…I have no idea what you are!

(Two light violet hands are raised into view just in front of the camera, their outlines slightly blurred for the moment. The focus shifts to them as she turns them about.)

Twilight: Huh?

(Cut to an extreme close-up of a mouth screaming with her voice and zoom out. The figure using that voice is that of a teenage girl, with Twilight’s purple eyes and long, straight, dark blue hair that bears one streak each of dark violet and deep pink. One lock hangs down in front of each ear. She is dressed in a light blue, short-sleeved blouse with a pink bow at the collar, a pleated purple skirt bearing her cutie mark, purple argyle-patterned boots with pink leg-warmer tops and dark gray/black toes and soles, and the straps of a blue backpack run over her shoulders. Equestria’s newest princess has just switched species.)

(She is kneeling on a patch of concrete that surrounds the marble base of a statue directly behind her, with Spike sitting alongside. The polished vertical surface suggests that it is the other end of the portal. She claps her hands to her mouth to stifle her scream, then takes them away and wiggles her new forearms increasingly frantically—one set of fingers at first, then that wrist, and finally all the joints. As she works her way toward full-on hyperventilation, Spike just scratches at one ear; when he stops, she is still trying to figure out exactly how her limbs work.)

*** Until further notice, all pony characters appear in human form. Unless otherwise noted, skin tones are pastel shades of their normal coat colors, and hair is the same color and style as their manes. Eyes retain their original colors; those of females are shadowed either not at all or in a slightly darker shade than their skin unless noted. ***

Spike: Twilight, you have to get it together!

(She snaps out of the fit, takes a deep breath, and lets it out while leaning her weight forward to rest on her fists and knees.)

Twilight: (barely in control) What does the rest of me look like? (Cut to Spike near her.)

Spike: Um…like you, only not you. Your muzzle’s really small. (Tilt up to a profile close-up of her.)

Twilight: My muzzle?!?

(The touch of fingers against the very tiny nose on her face starts her freaking out all over again, but Spike claps paws over her mouth before the whimper coming out of it can get any louder.)

Spike: Are you gonna scream again?

(She shakes her head; he removes his paws, and both look off in the same direction. Cut to an overhead shot of the two and the statue base and zoom out. They are indeed in a subdivision, the statue on the base is that of a rearing horse, and a sign on the lawn nearby has the shape of a horseshoe with ends up and a small C set inside. Since the pair are behind the sign, which is meant to be seen from the street farther behind them, the C appears backwards from this angle.)

Spike: Where are we? (Close-up of the statue base.)

Twilight: (walking to it) I don’t know. (She pushes a hand through the surface; the ghostly image of a hoof appears beyond.) But that must serve as the gateway back to Equestria. (Pull away; shake head clear.) We need to find my crown as soon as possible and get back there.

(She turns away resolutely. Cut to just behind her, framing the new place she is now facing: a two-story red brick building with two wings framing a central courtyard where the main entrance is located. The roof above these doors is set with a glass dome topped by a small flagged clock tower that would not look out of place in Canterlot, and a sculpture of a crowned gold horse head stands atop each corner facing the street. Two windows are mounted directly above the doors, an eight-pointed star on the first story and a rearing horse on the second, and a third gold horse head tops the roof above them. Tilt down slightly to frame Spike at her side.)

Twilight: I suggest we start searching the castle first. (Profile of the two; she has dropped to her knees again.)

Spike: Works for me.

(He hops onto her back as she goes to all fours as before; a moment later she is “galloping” toward the doors as quickly as her new anatomy will allow. However, the new canine’s puzzled aside glance and poke in the back bring her to a halt, and she follows his gaze across the sidewalk. A teenage boy has his own dog on a leash and pauses in the middle of walking it, and both are greatly flummoxed by this unorthodox display of pet exercise technique.)

Spike: Yeah, I don’t think that’s how the new you is supposed to—

(She snaps up to vertical with a sheepish grin, pitching him off her back; the boy continues to give them a very funny look until his dog pants and whines a bit. A slightly annoyed finger-point gets the walk going again; meanwhile, Twilight is having great trouble figuring out the fine art of bipedal motion. A few wobbly, off-balance steps and yelps bring her to the flight of steps that lead up to the doors.)

Twilight: (grabbing handrail, half-hauling herself up) Come on, Spike. I do not want to be like this for longer than I have to. (He darts up past her and o.s.)

Spike: (from o.s.) Well, look on the bright side. (Cut to him.) You don’t have those pesky wings to worry about anymore.

(Having reached the top, she glares down at him, steps over to the doors, tosses her head imperiously—and walks face first into the glass. After she backs away, she rubs her forehead for a moment.)

Twilight: Hm.

(In close-up, a quick bit of concentration gets her nowhere, as if trying to cast a spell with the horn that is no longer there. She pulls in a short, quiet, shocked gasp.)

Twilight: My magic…it isn’t working!

Spike: (from o.s.) Makes sense. (Cut to him.) You don’t exactly have your horn.

Twilight: What?!? (She pulls fretfully at her hair; tilt down to Spike at her feet.)

Spike: (walking to doors) We really need to find you a mirror.

(A push from his paw opens one of them; cut to the other side as the two peek in, then to a long shot of the building’s interior as they enter. They are inside a school, with trophy cases in the front lobby and banners/signs decorated with horses’ heads and C’s attached to the second-story balcony. They advance cautiously, the camera cutting to just behind them and panning to frame the decorations visible from this angle, all with blue backgrounds: some showing a yellow C, the others depicting rearing horses to either side of a yellow horseshoe superimposed on crossed lightning bolts. The C’s in all of these banners/signs are styled as sideways-facing horseshoes.)

(Zoom in on a plaque resting in a trophy case to their right; Twilight steps up to it and presses both palms against the glass.)

Twilight: (over her shoulder) What do you think, Spike? (Cut to inside, pointing out at them and panning slowly along the shelf.) Other artifacts she’s stolen from Equestria?

(Outside again. She gets a good look at her own image for the first time and recoils with a soft gasp as the camera zooms out slightly.)

Twilight: (eyeing herself from all angles) What am I?

(She has barely enough time to pick at her teeth before the bell rings and the halls flood with students of all make and model. Both normal skin tones and pastel shades of other colors are represented. They stream past Twilight and Spike, paying no mind even though he has jumped up into her arms out of sheer fright. As Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon pass, the former gestures carelessly with her cell phone and knocks the two new arrivals to the floor, where a dropped soda can bounces off Twilight’s head.)

Twilight: Huh? (Feet and a basketball barely miss them.) Ooh!

(She tries to crawl through the forest of legs and winds up at its edge, near a boy with spiky hair in two shades of deep blue who is reaching for something in his locker. He wears sneakers, jeans with turned-up cuffs, and a dark gray jacket with one stripe each of red and white on the back and each sleeve. Spike is first to get clear of the throng and doubles back to yank her out; a stuck foot comes loose and she tumbles against the boy’s legs. He turns to face her, exposing vivid blue eyes. This is Flash Sentry.)

Flash: Whoa! (Cut to her; he continues o.s., extending a hand.) You okay?

(His voice bears a strong similarity to that of the pegasus guard she ran into in the Crystal Castle. She tentatively places a closed fist in his palm, then slowly uncurls the fingers so he can hoist her up. Now he can be seen wearing a white T-shirt under the jacket, with a torn collar and a yellow lightning bolt overlaid on a two-tone blue shield, and he has closed his locker. Twilight answers his question with a silent nod, and he goes on his way, books tucked under one arm.)

Spike: (uneasily) I don’t think this is a castle.

Light melody of acoustic guitar and pizzicato strings, brisk 4

(F major, shifting to C major once the lyrics begin)

(Dissolve to Twilight and Spike proceeding nervously down a busy hall. One of the students they pass is a fully geeked-out Featherweight: button-down shirt with bow tie and pencils stuffed in the breast pocket, calculator in hand, pin showing a heart within a square-root sign.)

Twilight:        I’ve never seen a place that’s quite like this

                Everything is turned around, this crazy world is upside down

(She stumbles and falls as a football jock walks by.)

                Getting on my feet, it’s the hand that I was dealt

(Standing up, she studies her fingers and curls them with determination.)

                But I don’t have much time with them, got to learn all that I can

Drums, electric guitar in

(The screen snaps to black and tiles itself in with two shots that each fill half of it; this procedure occurs four times altogether. First: Twilight and Spike peeking around the end of a row of lockers, and two hippie-dressed students playing hacky-sack. Second: she leans intently ahead, while a boy reads from a book to two seated girls as if rehearsing a play scene and bows. Third: extreme close-ups of her staring eyes and of a couple’s clasped hands. Fourth: profile close-ups of her single-minded expression and an ear attached to the head of a boy wearing glasses. The first two of these pairs are split vertically, the last two horizontally, and Twilight’s position changes as follows: left, right, bottom, top.)

(After this sequence ends, cut to an extreme close-up of a bright pink hand writing on a classroom chalkboard as Twilight, outside, risks a glance through the door’s glass window. A cut to her side reveals this individual as Cheerilee: flowered green skirt with lighter green ruffle at hem, brown leather boots topped with light green, red-brown vest over a white blouse with sleeves rolled up. Her two-tone reddish-pink hair is several shades darker than in Equestria.)

Twilight:        They don’t use any magic or fly with any wings

(She turns away from the door and regards her skirt with puzzlement; in the foreground, a boy and girl talk animatedly.)

                I don’t get these funny clothes, skinny legs or tiny nose

(In another hall, DJ P0N-3 dons a pair of headphones as she strolls along. White zip-up shirt with two-tone blue sleeve/waist stripes to match her hair, pink arm warmers, violet shades, two eighth notes on her white skirt. Zoom out slowly, framing another couple talking in the stairwell.)

                Everything’s confusing when it seems so new

(Back to Twilight, who catches sight of Photo Finish on her way to class and is nearly run over by Scootaloo on her scooter. The near miss spooks Spike into jumping up to her arms.)

                But I look a little closer and it starts to feel familiar too

(Right behind the young speed demon come Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle; new girl and canine stare after them, then at each other—“did I really just see that?” From here, dissolve to a close-up of a bathroom door, seen from inside. It swings open as Twilight and Spike peek in; from this angle, the room is empty.)

Twilight:        What a strange new world [what a strange new world]

(Eagerly approaching the mirror above the sinks, she presses a palm to the glass and experiences a bit of surprise when it does not pass through—no magic portal here. Behind her, a stall door opens and a boy steps out, to the shock of both; he ducks back in and slams it shut.)

                I’m trying to make heads or tails of this strange new world

[What a strange new world]

(Outside; she and Spike race out and o.s., the swinging door clearly displaying the pictorial sign for the boys’ room. Dissolve to a close-up of her standing in the hall, trying to look inconspicuous as Spike huddles at her heels. Zoom out slowly as other students pass.)

                Sorting through the small details of this strange new world

                What a strange new world

Song ends

(Dissolve to the two on their way down the hall. The sound of a familiar soft, timid voice brings Twilight’s feet to a halt and one hand up to her ear, cupped for a better listen.)

Fluttershy: (from o.s.) Oh, I’m really sorry. I-I just found it and-and I thought I should give it to her.

(Cut to the junction between this hall and a side passage; Twilight and Spike peek in around the corner.)

Fluttershy: (from o.s.) I didn’t know you had dropped it.

(On the end of this, zoom out quickly to frame part of a female figure in the fore. Shocking pink shirt, dark gray leather jacket, orange skirt with one stripe each of yellow and pink, light yellow-orange skin—and a cascade of long, unruly red/yellow-streaked hair that can only belong to Sunset. Cut to just behind her.)

Sunset: Well, I did, and I was about to get it before you swooped in and ruined everything!

(As she speaks, the camera pans slightly to frame a greatly abashed Fluttershy standing before her, then cuts back to the gobsmacked Twilight. The humanized pegasus wears a sleeveless white top, a light green skirt trimmed with white-dotted pink lace that bears three pink and white butterflies, a white butterfly hair clip above one eye, and light green boots with white-dotted pink socks and white lace trim. Yellow backpack straps run over her shoulders. After Sunset finishes this line, cut to a close-up of Fluttershy’s face, a lock of pink hair falling loose from its clip and over her face; she pushes it back during the following. This shot is close enough to pick out the pink eyeshadow she wears.)

Sunset: (from o.s.) You shouldn’t pick up things that don’t belong to you.

Fluttershy: It…it doesn’t really belong to you either. (Sunset leans into her face, still seen from behind, and slams both palms against the lockers to hem her in.)

Sunset: Excuse me?!?

Fluttershy: (whimpering, sliding to floor) Nothing. (Back to Twilight, now plenty steamed.)

Sunset: (from o.s.) That’s what I thought. (Tilt down to a growling Spike.) It’s as good as mine, and you know it.

(Profile close-up of Fluttershy; now Sunset’s chin and mouth are barely in view, sneering down at her.)

Sunset: You really are pathetic. (pointing) It’s no wonder your best friends are all stray animals.

(She strides away, the nature lover sliding a bit lower, and the camera cuts to Twilight’s end of the hall, pointing toward the face-off. The two purple-booted legs slam down in the fore.)

Twilight: How dare you speak to her that way!

(Sunset straightens up a bit and turns toward the camera, revealing a yellow/red sun on her shirt that matches her pony form’s cutie mark.)

Sunset: What did you say? (The two slowly close in; a bystander eases out of striking range.)

Twilight: I said, “How dare you speak to her that way!”

(Now nose to nose, the two glare daggers at each other for a long, tense moment; Sunset breaks with a nasty smile and straightens up.)

Sunset: (flicking Twilight under the chin) You must be new here. (walking on) I can speak to anyone any way I want.

(The boy who edged away from the face-off has half-tucked himself into an open locker for cover, and a glare from her is all it takes for him to yank the door shut behind himself. Twilight thinks about her own sudden burst of defiance as Fluttershy gets up.)

Fluttershy: I can’t believe you did that!

Twilight: I couldn’t just stand there.

Fluttershy: Well, it’s just that nobody ever stands up to Sunset Shimmer.

Twilight: (surprised) Sunset Shimmer?

(The purple eyes flick back along the hall, just in time to catch sight of the grump and thief and bully rounding the corner, and the boy in the locker peeks out cautiously.)

Fluttershy: You’ve heard of her?

Twilight: Sort of.

Fluttershy: I don’t think I’ve seen you around before. Did you just transfer to Canterlot High from another school?

Twilight: Um…

(Cut to frame both girls and Spike. Now Fluttershy’s boots can be seen in full detail, with the green giving way to white at the toes.)

Twilight: (smiling nervously, fidgeting a bit) …yes! Another… (Chuckle.) …school. My name’s Twilight.

Fluttershy: (dropping to whisper) I’m…Fluttershy.

Twilight: (hand to ear) Sorry, what was that?

Fluttershy: (even softer, backing up) It’s Fluttershy.

Twilight: It sounds like you’re saying “Fluttershy,” but…how can that…

(The camera cuts to a close-up of the uneasy girl on the mention of her name, then to her perspective—peeking out through the pink curtain of hair and fixing on Spike. Back to her, instantly breaking into a huge smile.)

Fluttershy: (darting over to kneel by him, almost bowling Twilight over) Oh, my goodness! Who’s this sweet little guy? (Cut to Twilight, regaining her balance, on the end of this.)

Twilight: That’s Spike. My, uh…dog.

(Fluttershy has now set her bag down; it bears the three pink butterflies of her pony self’s cutie mark.)

Fluttershy: (petting him under the chin) Oh, he’s so cute! (She pulls out a dog biscuit and offers it.) Go on. Eat up, little pup. (He takes a nibble…)

Spike: (surprised) Huh? (…and wolfs down the rest.)

Fluttershy: Oh, wouldn’t you just give anything to know what they’re really thinking?

Twilight: He usually just tells me.

(Fluttershy glances over her shoulder toward Twilight in a very confused way, so that she misses Spike’s frantic gesture of pulling a paw across his throat—“shut it!”)

Fluttershy: Oh, wh-what do you mean? (She turns back; now Spike barks and wags his tail.)

Twilight: Oh, uh, nothing. (Chuckle.) Never mind. Sunset Shimmer said you’d picked something up, something that belonged to her. It wasn’t a crown, was it? (Fluttershy stands up to face her.)

Fluttershy: How did you know?

Twilight: Uh, lucky guess? (eagerly) Do you still have it?

Fluttershy: (shaking head) Mmm-mmm. (Twilight’s face falls, but perks up quickly.)

Twilight: But you know what happened to it.

Fluttershy: (nodding) Mmm-hmm. (Cut to frame all three and zoom in.) This morning, I was passing out flyers for the animal shelter like I do every Wednesday.

(A wavering dissolve takes place near the end of this line; after which the remaining words are delivered as a voice over. The scene, now rendered in soft focus, has shifted to Fluttershy in front of the school statue, holding out a flyer from the stack she carries.)

Fluttershy: Canterlot’s animal shelter needs more volunteers. Won’t you help an animal that can’t help itself?

(As she speaks, a knot of students walks by the statue, paying her no mind whatsoever. The lack of response unhinges her knees and she sinks dejectedly to the sidewalk, the flyers sliding from her grasp and showering the concrete around her. One piteous little whimper later, Twilight’s tiara comes sailing out of the portal in the statue’s base and bonks her in the head.)

Fluttershy: Ow!

(She picks it up and regards it bemusedly, and a WD back to the present begins.)

Fluttershy: (voice over) I have no idea how it got there.

(She is now sitting on the floor and petting Spike’s head.)

Fluttershy: But I didn’t want anything to happen to it, so I decided to give it to Principal Celestia.

Twilight: (puzzled) Principal Celestia? She’s the ruler here? (Fluttershy stands up, her backpack on.)

Fluttershy: You could say that. Technically, I guess she and Vice-Principal Luna do make the rules.

Twilight: Where is she now?

Fluttershy: Probably in her office.

(Twilight and Spike run off in opposite directions, then come walking slowly and sheepishly back a moment later.)

Fluttershy: (pointing past Twilight) Third door on your left.

Twilight: (running off with Spike) Thank you!

Fluttershy: Oh, wait! (They peek back from the corner; she points down toward Spike.) You’re not really supposed to have pets on school grounds. Might want to tuck him into your backpack. That’s what I do.

(The flap on hers opens up and three animals emerge: a bird, a kitten, and a white rabbit that is a dead ringer for Angel. She sits and gathers in the last two as the bird roosts on her head.)

Fluttershy: They just get so lonely when I’m at school all day. (Spike glowers at the idea of being called a pet.)

Twilight: Oh…okay! Thank you! (Bell rings; Fluttershy stands up, the bird flying off.)

Fluttershy: Oh, no! I’m late for class!

(One swift, fluid motion later, and she has gathered the three critters into her backpack, zipped it up, and slung it on her back before running down the hall. Dissolve to the interior of a room, the camera placed just inside a closed door whose window is covered by a shade. A knock from outside is answered by the businesslike voice of an older woman.)

Voice: Come in.

(The door swings open to expose Twilight, who is pushing it with her head instead of using the knob. Zoom out to expose more of this room: bookcase by the door, desk with intercom and telephone, and a person sitting behind this. Although partly obscured by the back of the chair, the pastel colors of the long hair give her away as Celestia. Very light pink skin, violet slacks, light yellow shoes, and a light tan sleeve can be seen, and she is looking at some photos in a file folder. Twilight straightens up partially into a semblance of a bow before the camera shifts to a head-on view of the principal, who glances over the folder’s top edge without lowering it right away. The sleeve is attached to a blazer.)

Celestia: How may I help you?

(The new student stands up, shoots a quick look back at Spike—who is now peeking out from her open backpack—and sets the bag on the ground. It is now seen to bear a copy of her cutie mark.)

Twilight: Um, uh…

(She lets out the breath she has been holding, and Celestia lowers the folder to aim a quizzical glance across the desk. The blazer has a sunburst pin on one lapel, matching her Equestria counterpart’s cutie mark, and is buttoned over a magenta/white-striped shirt or blouse. A “get on with it” gesture prompts Twilight to wipe the placating grin off her face and shake her head clear. Celestia wears a violet-banded wristwatch and a bracelet in the same color on her other wrist.)

Twilight: My name’s Twilight Sparkle. I’m new here and, well, I understand that Fluttershy found a crown this morning and gave it to you.

Celestia: (standing up, crossing to put files in cabinet) Yes. I’ve had Vice-Principal Luna put it somewhere for safekeeping. (closing drawer) No idea how it ended up on the front lawn. Were you interested in running for Princess of the Fall Formal this year?

Twilight: Uh, no, not exactly. The truth is…well, the truth is, I…you see… (Celestia crosses behind her.) …the crown is actually… (The latter’s words sink in.) …Princess of the Fall Formal?

(At the other side of the office, Celestia has stopped at a dry-erase board on the wall to mark an X in a box on its grid.)

Celestia: It’s Canterlot High’s big fall dance.

Twilight: Like the Grand Galloping Gala.

Celestia: Uh…Grand Galloping Gala? (Spike peeks out from Twilight’s bag.)

Twilight: (shoving him back in, trying to play it off) Oh, uh, it was a big deal at my old school.

Celestia: And was there a Princess?

Twilight: Yes, but she wasn’t exactly a student.

(Cut to a close-up of a framed photo on the wall: a younger Sunset, positively ecstatic in a white dress with a gold sash at the waist, wearing a gold flowered tiara. The camera pans slowly along the wall, revealing two more photos in a row with the first; each of these shows a slightly older and cockier Sunset, in a different dress and a more ornate crown.)

Celestia: (from o.s.) Here at Canterlot High, the students select one of their peers to represent them. She receives her crown at the Fall Formal. (Back to Twilight on the end of this; she scratches her chin and thinks.)

Twilight: Hmm.

(Cut to the reception area outside Celestia’s office. Twilight steps out, backpack on, and aims her words over her shoulder at Celestia, who stops at the doorway.)

Twilight: You asked me if I was interested in running for Princess. Can anyone run?

Celestia: Yes. (Twilight stops.) You just need to let the head of the Fall Formal Planning Committee know you’d like to be on the ballot. Was there anything else?

Twilight: (forcing a big smile) Um…nope, that was it.

Celestia: Well, if you do need anything else, my door is always open.

(She gives the lie to that last bit by slamming it shut, just in time to miss Spike putting his head up from the backpack to trade a very puzzled look with Twilight. Cut to an empty stretch of hall outside the office as she emerges.)

Spike: Twilight, why didn’t you just tell her the crown was yours and ask for it back?

Twilight: Oh, I was going to… (They stop in the lobby; her agitation builds.) …but imagine if one of them showed up in Equestria saying they came from a place filled with tall, fleshy, two-legged creatures with these! We’d think they were crazy!

(During this line, the camera cuts to a male science geek with taped-up glasses walking the hall, then to just behind his shoulder as he stops and gets an eyeful of her mini-freakout. On “these,” she holds her hands out at arm’s length to make the point; after she finishes speaking; the boy backs slowly away, having gone unnoticed.)

Spike: Hmph. You make a good point.

Twilight: (working her way to a huge grin) Looks like if I want my crown back, I’ll have to become Princess of the Canterlot High Fall Formal. So that’s what I’m gonna do!

Spike: And how exactly do you plan on doing that?

Twilight: (still grinning) I have no idea!

(The bell chooses this moment to butt in on her enthusiasm, and she cringes away from the tide of high school humanity that instantly fills the halls.)

Act Two

(Dissolve to the exterior of Canterlot High, zooming in slowly, then cut to the packed cafeteria and pan across the tables. The students have sorted themselves into their own particular groups, as is often the case in a school setting like this. Up at the counter, Fluttershy picks up a tray and works her way along to pick up items; Twilight follows her lead a bit awkwardly. The former has shed her backpack.)

Twilight: I know we’ve just met, but I was wondering if you might be able to help me with something.

Fluttershy: Of course!

Twilight: I’ve decided to run for Princess of the Fall Formal, and—

(This announcement throws the yellow kid for such a loop that she sucks in a frightened gasp and drops the bowl of salad she holds. Cut to Twilight, whose clothing takes the hit as a little yelp floats her way, then back to a flustered Fluttershy.)

Fluttershy: Oh, gosh!

(She looks frantically about; cut to a stack of napkins on the counter as she grabs them all.)

Fluttershy: (from o.s.) Sorry, it’s just… (The pair again; she scrubs furiously at the mess.) …oh, running for Fall Formal Princess is a really bad idea. (She gets Twilight cleaned up.)

Twilight: Why? (Fluttershy stands up.)

Fluttershy: (throwing napkins away) Sunset Shimmer wants to be Fall Formal Princess… (hushed) …and when she wants something, she gets it.

(Cut to a close-up of her tray, with a replacement salad, being held out across the counter and zoom out. Working the cash register on the other side is Granny Smith, who wears red apple earrings in addition to her shawl; she places an apple on the tray during the following.)

Fluttershy: (from o.s.) She’ll make life awful for anyone who stands in her way.

(Cut to frame all three; now Twilight gets one added to her lunch.)

Fluttershy: (walking o.s., Twilight following) Just ask the girl who ran against her for Princess of the Spring Fling. (Twilight hurries to catch up as Fluttershy crosses the room.)

Twilight: I have to try!

Fluttershy: Oh, I don’t think you understand. You’d have to convince everyone here to vote for you instead of her.

(Cut to a slow pan across a group of jocks—male and female—goofing around at/around a table. As Fluttershy names each successive group, the camera cuts to a table full of them and pans slowly.)

Fluttershy: (from o.s.) The athletes…the fashionistas…the dramas…the eco-kids…the techies…the rockers…

(Fashionistas: stylishly dressed. Dramas: reading and acting from scripts. Eco-kids: hippie types eating fruit and playing bongos. Techies: nerds, including Featherweight, reading science books and using computers. Rockers: two boys—one of them being Flash—lounging on a table and playing electric guitars as a third pounds drumsticks and their friends watch and cheer.)

(Back to Twilight and Fluttershy; they stop in the middle of the floor.)

Twilight: Why’s everypony— (Spike peeks out of her backpack, whaps her upside the head, and ducks back in.) —uh, everybody separated this way?

Fluttershy: (crossing to a free table, sitting) Maybe it was different at your old school, but at CHS, everybody sticks to their own kind. One thing they do have in common— (Twilight sits down opposite her.) —is that they know Sunset Shimmer is gonna rule this school until we graduate. (She glumly eats a bite of salad.)

Twilight: Not if I can help it!

(That determination carries over into the first bite of her own apple—but instead of picking it up, she bends down and snatches the whole thing in her teeth. Her new friend pauses in mid-chew, hopelessly perplexed, and it takes Twilight a second or two to catch on and remove the fruit from her mouth.)

Twilight: So, uh… (Nervous chuckle.) …where would I find the head of the Party Planning Committee?

(She stitches a big grin across her face, catching her bottom lip in her teeth to hide her jitters. Dissolve to a close-up of a pair of closed double doors and zoom out as Twilight enters from the other side, with Spike following. Pumpkins rest on the floor to one side, and a table decorated with balloons and a cornucopia is on the other.)

Twilight: Fluttershy said she’d probably be in here.

(Long shot of the entire room—the school gymnasium—on the end of this. Assorted tables and decorations have been set up around the perimeter, a disco ball hangs from the center of the ceiling, and balloons and streamers festoon the stage at one end. No one else is present at the moment, but the next voice Twilight and Spike hear tells them this is about to change.)

Pinkie: (from o.s.) INCOMING!!

(A hail of streamers pours down from somewhere above; biped and canine alike duck and cover as they fill the screen, liberally covering both. After this brief onslaught, they extract themselves from the multicolored fallout for a look around, and the camera cuts to Pinkie, seen from behind as she throws a handful of confetti into the air. When she turns around, her clothing from head to knees is revealed: bright pink skirt with the three familiar balloons, white blouse with a pink heart on the front and violet collar trim, sleeved blue shawl covering her shoulders, violet sash at her waist, a blue bracelet on either wrist. She proceeds to yank one of the balloons off her skirt and blow it up as Twilight walks over to her, demonstrating that the pink party planner can demolish the laws of physics no matter what form she takes.)

Twilight: Hi. My name’s Twilight Sparkle, and—

(She gets no further before ducking to avoid being hit by the balloon as Pinkie swivels to face her. Recognition hits her like a ton of bricks.)

Twilight: (flabbergasted) Pinkie Pie?

(The girl with the fluffy magenta hair forgets to blow, allowing the balloon’s air to blast back into her face until it has deflated. Cut to Twilight, watching with disbelief; she is thus completely unprepared for Pinkie’s sudden approach from behind. She finds herself being grabbed and spun in place to stare into the blue eyes. The balloon Pinkie removed from her skirt has reappeared.)

Pinkie: (gasping) Are you psychic?

Twilight: Uh, no. I don’t think so— (smiling) —unless, of course, that’s something you can do here. (Pinkie drops her and sighs.)

Pinkie: Not usually.

(She steps away, stretches out a fresh balloon, and starts blowing as Twilight gets upright. The image of the pink face is comically distorted by the inflating rubber in front of it.)

Twilight: Fluttershy said this was where I’d find the head of the Fall Formal Planning Committee.

(Cut to behind Pinkie on the end of this; she turns around, her bubbly demeanor instantly giving way to bitterness.)

Pinkie: (stretching balloon neck) Fluttershy, huh? (She ties off and lets go; it floats away.) Don’t let the whole shy thing fool you. She can be a real meanie.

(Cross to Twilight, grinning hugely and walking backwards with her head bent back to point straight at the new girl.)

Twilight: (incredulously) You two aren’t friends? (Pinkie straightens up to face her, all happy.)

Pinkie: Waited a bit to get your name on the ballot, huh? Dance is day after tomorrow.

Twilight: I’m brand new here.

Pinkie: Ooooh! (The grin yields to a searching stare.) I thought you didn’t look familiar.

(Here she comes again, getting way too close and giving a clear shot of her footwear for the first time: white-laced boots in the same shade of blue as her sleeves, each topped by a pink bow.)

Pinkie: (eyeing Twilight from every angle) Though now that I’m really looking at you… (She backs off.) …do you have a twin sister who lives in the city, has a pet dog named Spike that looks just like that one?

(On the end of this, she points off to one side and the camera cuts to a close-up of Spike, who looks up eagerly from worrying at a balloon.)

Twilight: (shrugging, smiling nervously) Uh, maybe?

Pinkie: Thought so. (pulling a clipboard out of her hair, holding it out) Anyhoo, just need to fill this out and you are officially up for the coveted Princess of the Fall Formal crown.

(Three camera cuts during this line as follows. One: close-up of Twilight, her eyes fixing on the board. Two: Pinkie fishing around in her hair again. Three: Twilight, smiling as the pink hand brings out a pen. Pinkie returns the smile, but the light violet face shifts into a puzzled frown after a long, silent moment; finally she grins big and clamps her teeth on the non-business end. Pinkie’s smile never falters even as Twilight racks her brain on how to use this device—but she does eventually pluck it out of her mouth and clumsily scrawl something on the clipboard. When the party planner turns it around for a look, what she sees is enough to make the board pop briefly out of her grip.)

Pinkie: Wow! You have really bad handwriting. It’s like you never held a pen before.

Twilight: (chuckling nervously, dropping it/scratching head) Is it?

(The sound of an opening door interrupts the graphanalysis, and the next voice—female, with a thick Southern accent—gets their attention in a hurry.)

Applejack: (from o.s.) Somebody order a dozen cases of fizzy apple cider?

(Cut to just behind Twilight and Pinkie on the end of this, the camera pointing over their shoulders toward the door. Applejack is visible only as a silhouette, carrying a box and wearing her trademark hat; she turns off to one side.)

Pinkie: (waving, running across) Ooh, ooh! Me!

(Close-up of the box, actually a crate of bottled cider, as it is set down on a chair. Zoom out to frame Applejack from the knees up: same hair tie, hat, and birdcatcher spots—or in this case, freckles—as her pony self. Taking off the hat to wipe her forehead, she sports a white Western shirt with green collar/shoulders and rolled-up sleeves, a blue denim skirt hemmed with white lace, and a brown belt with a red apple buckle.)

Pinkie: (from o.s.) Me, me, me! Me! Yeah! Uh-huh! Me!

(Twilight is taken aback by the new arrival, who puts her hat back on. This next shot exposes her boots as brown, with red apples up the front and lighter brown accents at the toes and tops.)

Applejack: Can you bring in the rest?

(In walks a male figure whose head and upper body are almost entirely hidden by the four stacked crates he is carrying. Blue jeans, a rolled-up red shirt sleeve, and a shock of short orange hair can be seen, along with red sneakers and a brown band on the wrist not hidden by the load—but the voice instantly gives away his identity.)

Big Macintosh: Ee-yup.

(His skin is a very light reddish-pink, and his laconically smiling face stands exposed—freckles and all—once Applejack takes the top crate off his stack. Like his sister, his shirt is a Western-style one, but with brown fabric at shoulder and collar. Pinkie jumps excitedly at the sight of the other three cases. Pan slightly away from the tableau to frame Twilight watching Applejack, who stops short.)

Applejack: Hey, I know you!

Twilight: You do?

Applejack: (setting crate on table, pulling a bottle) Sure! You’re the new girl who gave Sunset Shimmer the what-for today.

(Popping the cap with her teeth, she spits it aside and takes a swig as Pinkie leans into view.)

Pinkie: Twilight Sparkle here is gonna run against Sunset Shimmer for Princess of the Fall Formal.

(The mouthful of cider Applejack is working on finds its way back out at Mach 1; meanwhile, the pink party-lover blows up the balloon in her hand and floats up o.s. with it—heart-shaped.)

Applejack: (to Twilight, warningly) I’d think twice about that. (Pinkie drifts past, her feet at head level.) Oh, sure, she’ll probably approach you all friendly-like…

(She yanks Pinkie back to the floor, grabs the balloon from her mouth, and starts drawing on it while the latter goes to work on a fresh round one. Cut to a point a few feet above the floor; the heart balloon is held up into view, now bearing a rough sketch of a beaming Sunset.)

Applejack: (from o.s., high-pitched) “I sure am lookin’ forward to some friendly competition.”

(Her other hand hoists the second one, decorated with Twilight’s face.)

Applejack: (from o.s, different pitch) “That’s so good to hear.” (normal voice) But then… (She turns the Sunset balloon around, showing a pin taped to that side.) …here comes the backstabbin’! 

(One quick jab, and Twilight’s avatar has burst into a scatter of rubber scraps; the stunned real one watches as they drift down around her. Applejack lets go of the Sunset balloon, but a quick jump and mouth-grab by Pinkie save it from the rafters.)

Applejack: About the only girl at this school you can trust less than Sunset Shimmer is Rainbow Dash. (Cut to Twilight and Spike.)

Twilight: Rainbow Dash? (Zoom out slightly; Pinkie bounces past on a gigantic balloon, having ditched the Sunset one.)

Pinkie: She’s the captain of, like, every team at Canterlot High. (Now o.s.; crash from her direction.)

Applejack: She’s also the captain of sayin’ she’s gonna do somethin’ for you, and then turnin’ around and not even botherin’ to show up! (Twilight hurries across to her.)

Twilight: Thanks for the advice, Applejack, but this is something I really need to do.

Applejack: Hmph. Suit yourself. (suddenly suspicious) Hey…how’d you know my name was Applejack?

(To her, a fair question, since she never did introduce herself. The slip-up throws a real scare into Twilight, who thinks fast.)

Twilight: Um…I, uh… (forcing a chuckle, blushing) …didn’t you say?

(Over by the door, Macintosh brings in a crate of cider to stack on top of the other four he carried earlier. His red/brown shirt is now exposed more fully—unbuttoned, with a white T-shirt underneath and a green apple half under the collar on each side—and Pinkie leans against the stack and uncaps a bottle using her forelock.)

Macintosh: Nn-nope. (Pinkie drinks.)

Twilight: (hastily, shaking Applejack’s hand, waving to Pinkie) Well, uh, it was sure nice meeting you both. (backing out with Spike) I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around!

(A quick half-turn allows her to face forward as the two clear out of the gym. Applejack mulls over these developments as Pinkie pops up alongside.)

Pinkie: That one’s trying to hide a secret, but I am totally on to her. (whispering loudly) She’s psychic!

Applejack: Uh-huh. If you say so.

(Comes now the sound of a door being thrown open; both turn toward it, and the camera cuts to ground level just in front of it and tilts up on the start of the next line. Three students have just come in: Sunset, Snips, and Snails. Sunset, standing point, wears black boots with long licks of magenta flame covering the toes and insteps. Snips: heavyset, blue jeans, green sneakers with yellow stripes and red laces, black T-shirt marked by a white pair of scissors. Snails: skinny, light yellow slacks, red loafers, red T-shirt under a green pullover marked with a snail, freckles under eyes.)

Sunset: This looks terrible! (She strides to center court; the boys follow.) There should be more streamers near the stage and fewer balloons!

(One hard finger poke bursts a couple near Pinkie, who soon finds Snips holding up a length of streamer.)

Snips: Yeah! Streamers! (He rips it in two and walks off; here comes Snails, squeezing a huge balloon.)

Snails: And fewer balloons! (He falls over; it floats up out of his grip.)

Sunset: (holding up a bottle in close-up) Fizzy apple cider?

(Zoom out; she holds it at arm’s length with two fingers and makes a face.)

Sunset: Ugh! This is my coronation, not a hoedown!

Applejack: (needled) Well, now, it ain’t necessarily gonna be your coronation this time around. (Sunset whips over into her face; Pinkie, thrown off balance, totters away.)

Sunset: Oh, is that so? (turning Applejack’s hat backwards, pulling it over her face) You country folk really aren’t that bright. (walking away) Must be why the other students say such awful things about you.

(The crown flips up to expose a pair of indignant green eyes and a circle of face that has gone red and steaming with fury. A barely suppressed growl floats up through the opening; across the way, Sunset approaches the stage.)

Sunset: Obviously it’s gonna be my coronation. (Snips and Snails fall in behind her.) I’m running unopposed.

Pinkie: (holding up clipboard with Twilight’s “signature”) Not this time! The new girl just signed up.

Sunset: What?!?

(The board is swiftly handed across; cut to a close-up of the incumbent, her face hidden by it.)

Pinkie: (from o.s.) I know. (laughing) Her handwriting is really bad. (Board down; zoom in slowly.)

Sunset: (levelly, but menacingly) Where is this Twilight Sparkle?

(Looking around herself, she realizes that she is getting a bit too much attention from Applejack and Pinkie and quickly shifts gears with a laugh. Applejack has her hat back on the right way around, crown and all.)

Sunset: I’m looking forward to meeting the competition.

(Party organizer and country girl exchange a slightly bewildered look. Dissolve to Twilight walking down a hall, Spike out of sight, and pan to follow her past a few lockers and students. From here, cut to an adjoining hall, some of whose lights are flickering or burned out. She steps into view to regard a dim dead end as Spike peeks from her backpack and one open locker door creaks on its hinges. Cut to an extreme close-up of the staring purple eyes.)

Sunset: (from o.s., contemptuously) Can’t believe I didn’t recognize you earlier.

(A slight pan shifts the camera angle enough to frame the dimension-jumping thief, leaning against the lockers just behind Twilight. Cut to frame both as she strolls up.)

Sunset: Shoulda known Princess Celestia would send her prized pupil here after my crown— (jabbing a finger at Spike) —and her little dog too.

Twilight: It’s my crown!

Sunset: Whatever. (circling around her) This is just a minor setback for me. You don’t know the first thing about this place, and I already rule it.

Twilight: If that’s so, why do you even need my crown? You went to an awful lot of trouble to switch it with the one that belongs here. (Sunset stops facing her.)

Sunset: Pop quiz. What happens when you bring an Element of Harmony into an alternate world?

(Twilight turns this query over a few dozen times, but has no immediate answer.)

Sunset: You don’t know? Seriously? (Derisive giggle.) And you’re supposed to be Princess Celestia’s star student? (Close-up of Twilight’s deflated/sullen expression; she continues o.s.) Then again… (Back to her.) …what were the chances she’d find somepony as bright as me to take under her wing after I decided to leave Equestria? (Step to/past Twilight.) Bit embarrassing that you were the best she could do.

(She is barely past the edge of the blue backpack when Spike lunges halfway out of it to snap at the yellow-orange face.)

Sunset: (scratching him under the chin) Oh, and I’d keep an eye on your mutt. Hate for him to be…taken away from you.

Spike: (shaking a curled-up paw) Is that a threat?

Sunset: (falsely cheerful) Oh, of course not! (He barks at her; she puts a finger to his lips and drops the tone.) But I’d cut down on the chatter if I were you. (Twilight backs off.) Don’t want everyone to know you two don’t belong here, now, would you? (Close-up.) You want to be a princess here? Please. (walking out from dead end) You don’t know the first thing about fitting in.

(She passes o.s., leaving the two dejected new arrivals under an overhead light that stutters fitfully before burning out for good. Dissolve to another T-junction, the camera positioned in the branch and pointing toward Sunset as she walks leisurely along the straight run. She stops short, surprise registering on her face as Snips and Snails lurch into view—each of them heavily wrapped in streamers of all colors like Technicolor mummies. When they are within arm’s reach, the boss grabs a free end on each and delivers a swift yank, unwinding them in a split-second but leaving them very dizzy. Cut to a close-up of the three and zoom out slightly.)

Sunset: (softly) I want you to follow her. Bring me something I can use, just like you did with that last girl who thought she could challenge me. (She get a double salute.)

Snips: You got it, Sunset Shimmer!

(Head-on view of the three, with Sunset in the fore; zoom in slowly on her face to an extreme close-up, shadows playing sinisterly across it.)

Sunset: When the crown and its power are mine, Twilight Sparkle will be sorry she ever set hoof into this world—not that she would have been much safer if she’d stayed in Equestria.

(Laughter from her two henchmen startles her out of this reverie; zoom out to frame them.)

Snips: Yeah, in Equestria. (She rounds on them.)

Sunset: What are you still doing here?!? Go!

(Which they do, but not before running smack into each other and knocking themselves silly for a moment. Dissolve to a vending machine in the hall; Twilight walks up, eyes the treats on display behind the glass panel, and licks her chops. Spike has tucked himself away in the backpack. Juice boxes and packs of crackers get her attention, but she finds herself at a loss for a way to get them out. A bit of shaking does no good; ditto for a prolonged heave against the housing. Her next idea is to get down on all fours, facing away from the machine, and lift her legs for a backward kick to shatter the glass. In close-up, though, a new pair of booted feet steps into view before she can strike—blue, with starred blue-violet toes and a yellow stripe around the top. The almost inaudible sound of a scoff floats down, whereupon the camera tilts up to frame the wearer—Trixie. Blue-violet skirt decorated with the familiar stardust-spreading wand and more dust along the hem, blue zip-up sweater with yellow edging at cuffs/waist and lighter blue stars on elbows, blue-violet shirt underneath this, star hair clip. Unlike the two-tone light blue coloration of her pony counterpart’s mane/tail, her hair is pale blue and white.)

Trixie: Excuse me.

(She walks up to the machine; cut to behind the glass, framing her as she goes into her full hammy wind-up.)

Trixie: The Great and Powerful Trixie… (normal tone, producing a coin in one hand) …needs some peanut butter crackers.

(Close-up of the coin slot; the money goes in, the crackers come out, and she holds them up.)

Trixie: Voilà!

(Off she goes, leaving one confused and downcast student to eye Spike as he looks out.)

Twilight: Sunset Shimmer is right. (trudging away) I don’t know the first thing about this place. If I’m gonna really fit in and win votes… (confidence returning) …we need to do some research.

Spike: Research?

Twilight: This place has a school. I have to believe it’s got a…

(On the end of this, cut to just inside an open doorway; she comes up to this and stops dead upon looking in. Shelves of books are visible and more volumes litter a nearby table, and the camera zooms out quickly to frame much more of the…)

Twilight: (smiling) …library!

(Two stories, no less, shaped as a rotunda topped by the school’s rooftop glass dome. Outside again; she bounds in joyfully, her motion revealing a large central table set with computer terminals and topped by a large wooden horse-head bust, not too different from the one in the Ponyville library. After she has gone, Snips peeks out from behind one of the open double doors.)

Snips: (whispering across the way) Got your phone?

(Snails puts his head around the edge of the other door and holds up a cell phone with a smirk. Cut to his perspective as he lifts it to frame his partner in crime for a camera photo.)

Snails: (whispering) You got yours?

(Snips pulls it out and snickers. Inside; he whips past the door and starts to edge sidewise past the circulation desk, while Snails drops onto his belly and literally worms his way across the floor. At the center table, Twilight sits down at a computer but can do little except blink and stare uncomprehendingly at it. Her backpack rests on the floor next to her chair, and Spike has climbed out; meanwhile behind her, Cheerilee is re-shelving a cartload of books. Under each eye is a small cluster of freckles, not visible in Act One due to the reflection of the glass in her classroom door.)

Twilight: So I just push the letters here… (Cheerilee winces noticeably, trying to keep her cool.) …and then the words and moving pictures will come up here?

(Accompanied by the following gestures, in order: pointing at the keyboard on the first “here,” banging on it with a fist, lifting the monitor off the table on the second “here.” The slightly frazzled teacher takes a deep breath, gets a bright grin plastered onto her face, and turns toward Twilight.)

Cheerilee: (guiding monitor back down) That’s right. (Twilight taps a key.)

Twilight: (to herself) Maybe this place does have magic.

(Cheerilee rolls her eyes and the cart, exposing Snips and Snails crouched down behind it with phones in hand. They slip away as she tries out a couple of other keys, but before she can get into full research mode, a snatch of guitar-heavy rock destroys the quiet. Back comes Cheerilee, who puts a fed-up hand to her forehead; cut to another computer, where the Cutie Mark Crusaders are grooving hard to the beat. The tune is that of their song in “The Show Stoppers.”)

Scootaloo: (on computer)        When you’re a younger—

(Down comes Cheerilee’s hand to switch off the speaker; she sighs loudly.)

Cheerilee: (voice down) Girls, what are you doing?!?

(Across the way, unnoticed by the four, Twilight is working the keyboard with her knuckles, the hands closed into fists as if she still possessed hooves.)

Sweetie: We’re just seeing how many hits our new music video has gotten.

(Close-up of the speaker; now Bloom turns it on in time with an angry shudder from the o.s. Cheerilee.)

Scootaloo: (on computer)        So the three of us fight the fight

(The group again; the adult briefly covers her ears against the ruckus.)

                                There is noth—

Cheerilee: (over end of previous) No. Just… (Power off.) …no! (carrying speaker away) The school computers are for research purposes only!

Bloom: (to the others) It’s just as well, y’all.

(Cut to just behind her, framing the screen; displayed on it is a YouTube-style video window that shows the trio’s faces.)

Bloom: (scrolling down with mouse) Some of the comments about our song were really awful. “Epic fail”… (The three again.) …”funniest thing I’ve ever seen”? (Zoom out to frame Twilight watching from her side.)

Sweetie: (smiling) Funniest thing they’ve ever seen, huh?

(The other two young brains quickly tune in on her wavelength, but Twilight has a much more concerned reaction.)

Twilight: (waving for attention as they run past) Uh, I don’t know that that’s what you should take from…

(Realizing that the cause is well and truly lost, she turns her focus back to the computer and nudges the monitor about with one finger. In the foreground, Snails’ phone is lifted into view and his finger taps the button to snap a picture of her. Camera shift: he is kneeling on the other side of a study table, clicking away as Twilight puts balled-up knuckles to keys. He and Snips, now hunkered down alongside, share a muffled snicker.)

(Dissolve to a close-up of a stretch of very full bookshelves. Twilight’s hand reaches up to grab a couple of volumes and add them to a growing stack; in a longer shot, she totters across the floor, trying not to dump the lot on her own head. A few cries of panic accompany the effort as Spike walks behind her, but eventually gravity gets the upper hand and she winds up buried in the literature.)

Cheerilee: Shhh! (Twilight sits up.)

Twilight: (sheepishly) Uh…

(She ducks away with a giggle to start cleaning up, just in time not to see both boys’ hands and Snails’ face push their way out of the stacks. They take pictures and stifle a fresh guffaw. Down below, Twilight and Spike each have a book in their teeth; he points at hers and lets his drop, and she quickly takes the hint. Zoom out slightly as she throws a furtive look in all directions and goes back to gathering the dropped books; he picks his up again.)

(Dissolve to an extreme close-up of some translucent surface, which proves to be the glass of a photocopier once the lid is lifted. The camera is inside the machine and aimed up at Twilight, who has just come up; it then cuts to behind her and Spike. Snips’ phone is lifted up to get a clear snapshot of her confusion, after which she puzzles over the control panel for some seconds and presses a button. The flare of light from inside the copier startles her backwards so that she falls into the stacked books on the floor, and Snips and Snails trade a high five from their vantage point behind others.)

(Dissolve to a close-up of a wall-mounted loudspeaker and pan/tilt down toward floor level.)

Voice on intercom: The library will be closing in five minutes.

(Stop on a yawning Twilight, seated at a table amid way too many books to count. Fatigue gives way to a soft gasp, and she bends down to address the floor.)

Twilight: I hadn’t even thought about where we’re gonna sleep tonight! (Spike is down here, reading.)

Spike: (walking out) Way ahead of you.

(Dissolve to a now-darkened area of the library; a tall stack of books stands on the floor, and a second has been covered over with a tarp. Spike stops next to this, facing one rather confused student; she is carrying a book.)

Spike: It’s a little…

(He pulls the tarp away, throwing up a screenful of dust and making himself cough. When the view clears on the start of the next line, the covered stack is revealed to be actually several short ones pushed together in the general outline of a bed.)

Spike: …dusty, but it doesn’t seem like anybody comes up here. (Twilight sits on it and smiles.)

Twilight: It’s perfect, Spike.

(His happy little whine earns him a pat on the head, and he cheerfully keels over at her feet.)

Spike: So how did your research go?

Twilight: (gesturing with her book) I found this book. (pointing to cover) It’s called a yearbook.

(The motion picks out the yellow horseshoe-C on the cover, the same as those on the banners in the lobby. Close-up of her lap as she sets the volume down on it for Spike to get a closer look.)

Twilight: (from o.s., opening it/turning pages) It seems to be something they use to keep a record of things that have happened at the school. (Back to her.) Look. That’s Pinkie Pie…

(Close-up of a photo on one page: five girls gathered on/near a bench, three of them being Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie. The one with the near-white skin, elegantly curled purple hair held back by a blue three-jewel clip, and pale blue dress with darker blue ribbon tie and violet shoulders/hem can only be Rarity. Off at one end is a smirking girl with light blue skin, unruly rainbow-striped hair hanging down her back, rolled-up blue jeans, suspenders, blue boots, and a magenta shirt with a cloud and red/yellow/blue lightning bolt—Rainbow. She has a soccer ball tucked under one arm. All five are roughly the same age, a bit younger than the three Twilight has already met.)

Twilight: (from o.s., pointing them out) …Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, and… (Back to her and Spike.) …I’m gonna bet the girl on the far right is Rarity. (He perks up and grabs the book away.)

Spike: There’s a Rarity here? (catching himself) Uh…I mean, uh… (He gives it back with a chuckle; she smirks at him.) …interesting photo.

Twilight: (a bit puzzled) It’s interesting because they look like they’re friends.

(Close-up of the photo again.)

Spike: (from o.s.) They do look like our friends. (Back to the pair.) But I thought we’d figured that out already.

Twilight: No, I mean… (eyeing book closely) …they look like they’re friends with each other. (lowering it) But it doesn’t seem like they’re friends now.

Spike: Not so much.

(She flops down to the “bed” on her back, holding the book over her chest; her head lands on some open pages, throwing out dust.)

Twilight: I just can’t help but get the feeling that Sunset Shimmer had something to do with it.

Spike: (crossing to fallen tarp) I wouldn’t put it past her.

(Nipping one edge in his teeth, he quickly pulls it up to cover Twilight.)

Spike: But she wanted your crown ’cause she’s planning on doing something even worse. (Overhead shot; slow pan. He circles in place before settling down.) If you’re gonna stop her, you have to focus on making friends here. You can’t worry about why these girls aren’t friends anymore.

(Cut to just behind her head; she lifts the yearbook into view, open to the photo.)

Spike: (from o.s., yawning) Even if they…do remind you of your Ponyville friends. (Back to the pair on the end of this; she smiles gently.)

Twilight: (arm around him) You’re right, Spike. (Contented sigh; cut to behind her.) Eye on the prize.

(Tilt up slowly to frame the crescent-shadowed moon and three stars in the night sky, seen through the library’s glass-domed ceiling, then dissolve to the exterior of Canterlot High at sunrise the following morning. Zoom in slowly.)

Celestia: (on intercom) Good morning, students, and happy Thursday. (A few walk along the sidewalks crossing the lawn.) Just a reminder to pick up your ballots for the Princess of the Fall Formal today. (Just inside the front doors; others make their way in.) They are due by the time the dance starts tomorrow night, so don’t forget to turn them in and make your voice heard.

(Cut to an uninhabited bit of the library.)

Twilight: (walking into view, book in hand) Fluttershy said I’d need to win over all those different groups if I want to become Princess of the Fall Formal— (Close-up; she hefts a sheaf of pages.) —so I’ve compiled a list of talking points.

Spike: (from o.s., laughing) You made a list? (He catches up to her; she stops, annoyed.) That’s so unlike you!

(The dirty look she throws down at him is enough to shut him up and stop him cold, and her next gesture—brandishing her open backpack and pointing emphatically toward it—is the capper. He can manage only a weak chuckle.)

Spike: Uh, please, continue. (Twilight stands up; he is now in the bag.)

Twilight: I’ll start introducing myself… (walking toward doors) …sprinkle in some things I’ve learned about their world into the conversation, show them how I fit in here.

(Stopping just short of the exit, she takes a deep breath and lets it out.)

Twilight: Okay, Spike.

(Extreme close-up of the handles; she reaches into view to push them open, revealing a very busy hall.)

Twilight: (from o.s.) Time to make a good first impression on my fellow students.

(Cut to her and zoom out as several of said students go about their business, then cut back to her.)

Twilight: The whole world sort of depends on it.

(So she puts on a cheerful grin and strides out into the hall—and the whole place goes deathly quiet.)

Boy: (whispering to a girl) Hey, look.

(A wave of barely suppressed laughter and a round of derisive stares come next, sapping the new girl’ self-confidence with amazing speed.)

Twilight: Why is everybody looking at me funny?

(A pale hand lands on her elbow and yanks her away, hard.)

Twilight: Whoa!

(She fetches up in a classroom, banging into the front desk and knocking its books off.)

Twilight: What are you—

(Turning around, she finds that the perpetrator has a very familiar head of elegantly curled purple hair.)

Twilight: Why did you—

(Rarity slams the door and turns to face Twilight, the camera zooming in. Purple boots topped with magenta trim and a blue gem, lighter purple skirt decorated with the three blue lozenge-shaped gems, a gold bracelet on each wrist, light blue short-sleeved blouse, narrow black belt, same pale blue eyeshadow as her pony alternate.) 

Twilight: (stunned) Rarity?

(Spike peeks out, equally dumbfounded. The fashion-minded teen whips over to her, dropping a handbag on the floor so that it falls open and plying a measuring tape on one leg. This is swiftly tossed aside so she can check a few other body parts at warp speed. Backing off for a moment’s thought, she gets an idea and goes digging in her bag. A couple of garments are flung out, after which she holds one up—three-tone green, with a light blue belt marked by a gold starburst clasp.)

Rarity: Perfect!

(It is shoved down over Twilight’s head: a short-sleeved blouse/skirt combo, with matching boot covers and a blond wig with teased-out bangs. Rarity regards the effect critically.)

Rarity: (pacing around her) Oh, yes, this is good! No one will recognize you.

Twilight: Why wouldn’t I want to be—

Rarity: (turning to Spike) And we’ll need a disguise for your dog— (stroking his cheeks; hearts in his eyes) —which is too bad. He really is so adorable. (all business again; soft gasp) You know, with a little work, I think I could make him look like a rabbit instead.

Spike: Huh? (He falls to the floor.)

Twilight: A rabbit? (Applejack opens the door and walks in.)

Applejack: There you are, Twilight!

Rarity: (contemptuously) So much for the disguise.

Applejack: (walking in) I’ve been lookin’ all over for you. (Fluttershy peeks in around the frame.)

Fluttershy: Me too. (Pinkie puts her head down from above.)

Pinkie: Me three! (She ducks in and runs an eye over Twilight.) I like your new look.

Rarity: I do have an eye for these sorts of things— (dismissively) —not that you seem to care.

Pinkie: What?!? 

Twilight: Why do you think she doesn’t care? (Pinkie starts to boil over; Applejack gives her the “cut it out” gesture.) No, never mind. (pulling wig off) Why were you all looking for me? What’s going on? (Others cringe.)

Fluttershy: (to the others) Oh, she hasn’t seen it yet.

Twilight: Seen what?

(Cut to a close-up of a desk. Pinkie sets a laptop down on it and opens the screen; cut to the five standing/sitting around to watch. Twilight is in the desk’s chair.)

Pinkie: (pressing a key) Oh, it’s really not that bad. (Uneasy chuckle.)

 (Close-up of the screen, zooming in: the same sort of video-viewing service the Crusaders were using. This time, though, the window shows Twilight puzzling over the library computer and banging her knuckles on the keys.)

Sunset: (voice over, ominously) Twilight Sparkle wants to be your Fall Formal Princess.

(Extreme close-up, zooming in as the action freezes and the color scheme switches to a photographic negative of itself. Next shot, normal color: having gone to the floor with her pile of books, she regards them with frustration.)

Sunset: (voice over) But what does it say about our school— (Twilight grabs a book in her teeth.) —if we give someone like this…

(Another freeze/zoom/color flip, followed by a normal shot of her being scared backwards by the copier.)

Sunset: (voice over) …such an important honor?

(Freeze/zoom/color flip, after which the camera cuts to the five girls at the laptop. Twilight, hands pressed to cheeks, can only get out a couple of half-hearted whimpers before she closes the screen. The overall atmosphere of the video is that of a political attack ad.)

Pinkie: I take that back. It’s pretty bad. (Cut to just behind Twilight.)

Twilight: (turning to face others) But this all happened yesterday, at the library! (She sinks down in her chair.) Has everyone in the school seen this? (Applejack gives the smallest of nods.) Is that why they were all looking at me that way?

Applejack, Pinkie: Mmm…

Twilight: What am I gonna do? No one is gonna vote for me after seeing this!

Fluttershy: Not that it’ll make any difference, but I’ll still vote for you.

(The newly christened social wipeout lets her head bang onto the desk.)

Fluttershy: You were so nice to stand up for me when Sunset Shimmer was picking on me yesterday. (Twilight raises her head just a fraction…)

Pinkie: If you still want to run, maybe there’s something I can do to help. (…then a little more, and smiles.)

Fluttershy: (to Twilight) Word of advice—don’t accept her help. She doesn’t take anything seriously.

Pinkie: (angrily, stammering a bit, stomping one foot) Why do you have to be so awful to me? (Rarity crosses to her.)

Rarity: Oh… (A string of disdainful noises.) …don’t play innocent, Pinkie Pie! You are no better than she is!

(A cut on the end of this line reveals that the “she” and accompanying finger-point are directed at Fluttershy. Next, two pink hands clamp onto the arms in the light blue sleeves and shove them back; the next words come with enough force to blow the purple hair back hard.)

Pinkie: And what is that supposed to mean? (She lets go.)

Rarity: (stepping past her) I am happy to offer up my assistance as well— (pointedly, to Pinkie) —to someone who would appreciate what I have to offer!

(These two and Fluttershy waste no time in getting into a lively shouting match—perhaps too lively for Spike, who dives into Twilight’s dropped backpack and zips it shut. As Twilight sits forgotten amid the tumult, the camera zooms out to frame the edge of the front desk and one of Applejack’s legs hanging over it.)

Applejack: (from o.s.) Listen to y’all carryin’ on! (Cut to her, having just finished an apple.) Get over it and move on!

(She drops the core over the side into a trash can and crosses her arms to mark the last word in this dispute. Or it would be, except for Rarity stepping up with an accusing finger.)

Rarity: You mean like how you’ve gotten over what happened with Rainbow Dash? (That hits a nerve or four.)

Applejack: She said she’d get the softball team to make an appearance at my bake sale. I tell everybody they’re comin’, and then not one of ’em shows up! She made a liar out of me! That’s different.

Fluttershy, Pinkie, Rarity: Is not!

Applejack: Is too!

(The argument starts all over again, the camera zooming in toward the violet-skinned girl caught at the center of it all. Despondency slowly shifts into fed-up frustration, followed by a leap to her feet and a quick zoom out.)

Twilight: STOOOOP!! All of you! (Close-up of her backpack; she continues o.s.) I want to show you something.

(Spike unzips it from inside and holds up the yearbook she found in the library; it is lifted away and the camera cuts to a close-up of it being opened to the photo.)

Twilight: (from o.s.) You were friends once. (Close-up of it, zooming in slowly.)

Applejack: (from o.s., softly) Hmph…the Freshman Fair. (Cut to her and Pinkie.) Y’all remember?

(Pan to Fluttershy and Rarity; they and Pinkie nod and voice their assent quietly. Cut to Twilight, seen from shoulders to waist.)

Twilight: (closing yearbook) But something happened. (Tilt up to her face.) I think that something was Sunset Shimmer. (Rarity moves over to her.)

Rarity: Well, it’s a nice theory, darling, but Sunset Shimmer had nothing to do with it.

Fluttershy: She’s right! Sunset Shimmer isn’t the one who ruined my silent auction for the animal shelter by bringing fireworks and noisemakers. (Angry sigh.) It was supposed to be a serious event, and Pinkie Pie ruined it!

Pinkie: What are you talking about? (holding out her cell phone) I got a text from you saying that you didn’t want a silent auction, you wanted a big party! (Surprised noise from Fluttershy.)

Fluttershy: I never sent you a text.

Pinkie: You didn’t?

Rarity: You don’t think she’s the one who’s been sending me those emails, do you? Every time I volunteer to help with the decorations at a school function, I get an email from Pinkie Pie saying she has plenty of volunteers. (Close-of Twilight, starting to figure something out; she continues o.s.) And then I find out she’s done everything herself! (Zoom out to frame Pinkie, checking her phone.)

Pinkie: I never sent you any emails. (Now Applejack steps up.)

Applejack: Maybe she’s the reason Rainbow Dash didn’t show up for my bake sale.

Twilight: Didn’t you ever ask Rainbow Dash why she didn’t show up?

Applejack: (very embarrassed, removing hat) Heh…I guess I kinda stopped talking to her at all after that. (Twilight approaches her.)

Twilight: Maybe now would be a good time to start.

(She sets the hat back on the blond head and gets a small but genuine smile in return. Dissolve to a row of soccer balls on an athletic field. It is now later in the day. A foot in a blue boot styled after an athletic shoe, with white trim and laces, swings into view and kicks one ball. Tilt up to frame all of the modern-day Rainbow: same long unruly hair, red/yellow/blue stripes on socks and wristbands, white T-shirt with cloud/lightning-bolt mark under an unbuttoned blue outer shirt, white/magenta striped skirt over dark gray shorts. She stares intently after the shot, which lands neatly in the goal at the end of the field, and the camera then cuts to a long shot of her and Applejack by the row of balls. Twilight, Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Rarity watch the conversation from the sidelines; no words can be heard, but the gestures suggest a lively exchange. When Twilight is next seen in full, she will be back in her usual ensemble.)

Rarity: They’re actually talking! That’s a good sign!

(Applejack breaks into a smile, then Rainbow, and they embrace several seconds later.)

Pinkie: Hugs! Ooh, hugs are always good.

Applejack: (walking over to group with Rainbow, who carries a ball) Somebody, and I think we can all guess who, told Rainbow Dash that my bake sale had been moved to a different day. Dash showed up with all the softball team and thought I’d canceled on her.

Rainbow: (crossing to Twilight) So you’re looking to dethrone Sunset Shimmer and become Princess of the Fall Formal, huh? (A sheepish nod; she bounces her ball on one knee.) Gotta say, I’d really love to see that happen. (Ground level; she plants it under one foot.) I’ll totally help you out. All you gotta do— (Close-up.) —is beat me in a game of one-on-one.

(Back to Twilight on the end of this; her elation gives way to total shock.)

Twilight: What?!? (The ball; zoom out as Rainbow works it up toward her head.)

Rainbow: First to five goals wins.

(A backflip, one foot up, and the ball is suddenly rocketing straight and true toward the goal. A lick of fire briefly splits the air in its passage before it hits the net.)

Rainbow: One-zip!

(Cut to a close-up of Twilight’s dumbfounded face, zooming in on her eyes, then wipe to Rainbow’s feet dribbling downfield. At the goal line, Twilight has taken up a defensive position—not a very sure one, based on how badly her knees are shaking, and it is useless against the spin-kick shot that comes right at her head. The unlikely goalie hits the dirt, saving her face but giving up a goal, and Rainbow pumps a fist before running in to get the ball. On the sidelines, Pinkie has set up a scoreboard—blue placard for Rainbow, pink for Twilight—and she changes the score to 2-0.)

(On the field, a cocky Rainbow carries the ball out and drops it at Twilight’s feet, one of which draws back for a kick. Before it can touch the sphere, though, Rainbow nudges it away with her own foot, pops it up, and bangs it over both their heads for another goal. As she raises both hands in triumph, Pinkie puts the point up on the board, looking a bit glummer than before. Dissolve to Twilight dribbling her way toward the line, which is undefended—but then Rainbow swoops in from the side to steal the ball away. Twilight skids to a stop and can only watch helplessly as her opponent makes a fast break to put it in the net one more time. A double fist-pump, and a downcast Pinkie records the fourth goal.)

(Dissolve to Rainbow, bouncing the ball on her knee as a befuddled Twilight watches. The athlete back-kicks it up overhead, then lets it bounce off Twilight’s face and down to the grass at her feet. Realizing that she has just caught a huge break, the bookworm dribbles ahead to the spectators’ great excitement. She pulls back her foot for a mighty kick—and the sole of her foot skids off the ball, pitching her flat on her back. It rolls to a stop in front of Rainbow, who just happens to be standing at the goal; instead of nudging it in, though, she uncorks a blast that sends it all the way into the opposite net. Pinkie sadly flips the placard to show a 5-0 score.)

(Cut to Rainbow, jumping in place with arms raised to mark her victory, and zoom out to the sound of winded panting. Twilight is still laid out in the grass, heaving for breath; cut to her upside-down perspective of Rainbow’s face leaning over her with the ball.)

Rainbow: That’s game! (The others gather around.)

Rarity: (trying to sound supportive) I really thought you were gonna pull it off there in the end.

(Her feeble attempt at a chuckle dies under the withering glares of the other three girls who saw the debacle. Cut to Twilight as Rainbow kneels down to her.)

Rainbow: So what’s the plan? (extending hand; Twilight takes it) How can I help you be Princess instead of Sunset Shimmer? (Pull upright.)

Twilight: (still out of breath) But…I…lost!

Rainbow: Of course you lost. I’m awesome. But I’m not gonna help just anybody try and beat Sunset Shimmer.

(Extreme close-up of Twilight’s wondering expression, panning slowly across; the next words cause her pupils/irises to grow in surprise and bring a smile to her lips.)

Rainbow: (from o.s.) The Fall Formal Princess should be someone with heart and determination. (Both girls again; she nudges Twilight in the shoulder.) You proved that you got ’em both.

(Zoom out to frame all six as these two hug and the others talk excitedly, then pan to the end of the sideline bleachers. Sunset, Snips, and Snails are hiding here; the two boys snicker over their phones, but their leader gazes worriedly over their heads and toward the field. She throws a hard glare when they hold the phones toward her; after a second or two, a predatory grin comes over her face and her eyes flick upward in sudden devilish inspiration.)

(Dissolve to the uppermost story of a building on a city block and tilt slowly down to ground level. The edging at the roof calls to mind the texture of the gingerbread-house roof on Sugarcube Corner. Sidewalk tables mark it as perhaps a coffee shop or restaurant, and a cut to the interior supports the former. Twilight, at the counter, watches eagerly as a pair of light blue hands adds whipped cream to a mug and drops in some sprinkles.)

Twilight: And can I get mine with extra oats?

(A head-on view discloses that the blue hands belong to Mrs. Cake, who wears a light yellow dress under a frilly white apron decorated with her three-cupcake mark. The request catches her very much off guard.)

Mrs. Cake: Oats?

Twilight: (backing off a bit) Uh, scratch that. However you normally make it is fine.

(She gets the drink passed across the counter, accompanied by a cocked eyebrow. As she turns to leave, she runs flat into Flash, who has come in to stand just behind her. Beverage, cream, and sprinkles describe a Rorschach blot on his shirt and jacket; the mug clatters on the floor, and she aims her panicked purple eyes up into his surprised blue ones. To his credit, he recovers his composure in record time.)

Flash: Whoa. (He brushes himself off a bit; she kneels for the mug.) We’ve got to stop bumping into each other like this.

(Down he goes as well, his hand latching onto it as well and brushing against hers. They smile at each other—Twilight nervously, Flash calmly—and she pulls her hand back so he can pick up the mug. She is first to stand up.)

Twilight: You know me. (Chuckle; she pulls at her hair as he stands.) Always trying to make a big splash around here…’cause my drink kinda splashed…on the ground. (Chuckle.)

(His cool little smile stays firmly in place.)

Twilight: (backing up toward counter) I’m gonna go over there now.

(Running into it with her back, she does an about-face and hurries away. Cut to Fluttershy, Rainbow, and Rarity on a couch; the first two have drinks in hand, while the third has Spike in lap. Twilight sits on the arm at Rarity’s end and blushes a bit while playing with her hair in close-up; zoom out to frame the up-and-coming style maven.)

Rarity: Don’t even think about it. You’re already trying to get her crown. Who knows what Sunset Shimmer would do if you ended up getting her ex-boyfriend too?

(She drops to a whisper on the end of this line. Longer shot of the area; a table is in front of the couch, and Applejack and Pinkie have pulled up chairs at it.)

Twilight: (flustered, standing up) I’m not trying to…I don’t even know…we just accidentally… (Close-up, hunching over.) …ex-boyfriend?

Fluttershy: (from o.s.) Flash Sentry broke up with her a few weeks ago. I can’t believe she hasn’t done something awful to him yet.

(On the start of this line, cut to the counter, where he buys a new drink and heads for the seats, getting a wave from Mrs. Cake. Cut back to the six on the end of it; he strolls casually past and tosses Twilight an over-shoulder smile. She straightens up and the camera zooms out to frame more of the couch, table, and counter; now both Mr. and Mrs. Cake can be seen at work.)

Twilight: Maybe she’s just waiting until she has the power to do something really awful. (Applejack stands up.)

Applejack: All right, girls. (Overhead view; zoom out/pan slowly.) Dance is tomorrow night, and we still don’t know how we’re gonna get Twilight the votes she needs to be named Princess. (Back to the couch; she starts pacing.) Right now, folks only know the Twilight from the videos Sunset Shimmer posted online. (Stop behind Twilight; grab her upper arms.) We need to help ’em see her differently.

(Sotto-voce, puzzled mutterings from the other four. The quiet is shattered when Rarity shoots to her feet.)

Rarity: I’VE GOT IT!

(That gets the attention of every patron and a passerby or two, and her gigantic grin and flushed face evaporate in an instant. She clears her throat demurely.)

Rarity: (stepping o.s.) I mean, um, perhaps I have a solution.

(Cut to a close-up of her bag on the floor next to the couch.)

Rarity: (from o.s., opening it/fishing around) Now this may be an absolutely preposterous idea, but… (Back to her.) …what if we all wore these as a sign of unity?

(“These,” held up at the right moment, are a pair of yellow pony ears on a blue headband and a blue/yellow tail on a sash meant to be tied around the waist. The other five give her a round of bewildered stares, but she quickly gets the tail in place.)

Rarity: (donning ears as well) Freshman year, they were very, very popular. A way for everybody to show their school spirit! (jumping in place) You know, “Go, Canterlot Wondercolts!” (She lets her enthusiasm drop and clears her throat.) I haven’t sold any in ages.

(Mr. Cake passes along the counter behind her.)

Rarity: (retrieving/passing out five more sets of ears) I mean, the five of us are obviously very different, but deep down we’re all Canterlot Wondercolts.

(She moves o.s. on the end of this as Pinkie dons her ears and grins. Cut to Fluttershy and Rainbow being handed pairs of their own and putting them on.)

Rarity: (from o.s.) Sunset Shimmer is the one who divided us. (Overhead shot of all six; she holds one last pair.) Twilight Sparkle is the one who united us. (putting them on her) And we’re gonna let everyone know it! (Pause.) What do you think?

(A cut to Applejack, Pinkie, and Rainbow frames three uncertain expressions that shift into approving smiles and grins, accompanied by a thumbs-up from the apple expert. Pan to a grinning Fluttershy; one lovestruck little puppy pops up into view, hearts in eyes. Rarity hugs Twilight gleefully from behind, a purple-eyed wink telling her that everyone is on board with this plan.)

(Dissolve to a slow pan across the packed cafeteria, then cut from one social group to another. It is now lunchtime of the following day Flash, at the rockers’ table, is cleaned up and fooling with his guitar. Stop on the fashionistas’ table as Rarity takes a seat with her lunch tray. She has put on a blue sweater with the school’s C-logo; the yellow pony ears are not in evidence, but she quickly dons a pair, tail already tied on. Cut to Rainbow taking a seat with the athletes, then to a pan across the line and stop on Pinkie. Each has a sweater and tail in place and slips on the ears in turn.)

(The peppy pink one picks up her empty tray and starts to bang it on the counter in a four-beat rhythm. Bang…silence…bang-bang…silence. Rarity joins in, stomping the same rhythm, and adds handclaps on the second and fourth beats. Bang…clap…bang-bang…clap. Cut to a close-up of two empty glasses being struck against a table with the trays/stomps, and zoom out to frame them in Fluttershy’s hands. She too has a sweater, tail, and ears. Cut to a slightly confused Macintosh, who wears a brown band on each wrist instead of just the one seen when he made the cider delivery earlier in this act, and pan along his table to stop on a fully kitted-out Applejack. Her contribution is to hit the table with her palms in time with the trays/glasses/stomps, and clap on the other two beats. Rainbow is next, banging her tray, and Spike chips in by reaching out from Twilight’s backpack to switch on a nearby radio hooked up to an MP3 player. A synthesizer chord begins to fade up.)

Synth chord melody with bass drum/handclap percussion, slow 4 (E major)

(One by one, the five boosters get to their feet and high-step around the room.)

All five:                Hey, hey, everybody, we’ve got something to say

                        We may seem as different as the night is from day

Bass guitar in

(The others gather with Rarity to form a line.)

                        But you look a little deeper and you will see

(turning to each other in pairs)

                        That I’m just like you and you’re just like me, yeah

Synth/bass/percussion out for two bars; electric guitar in

(The view cuts to a close-up of two smiling girls—Applejack in close-up, Rainbow relaxing a bit farther back. Next an upside-down Pinkie and a correctly oriented Rainbow trade smiles; Fluttershy and Pinkie shake their tails at each other, and now all five get back into it.)

Synth/bass percussion in with thumping beat; guitar shifts to rhythm; slightly faster

(Applejack and Pinkie run past the tables, hand in hand, then Fluttershy and Rainbow.)

All five:                Hey, hey, everybody, we’re here to shout

(Rarity sidles up to a male fashionista and makes him forget the phone in his hand, and Fluttershy tips a wink to the camera.)

                        That the magic of friendship is what it’s all about

(They stop between tables and lean out to both sides.)

                        Yeah, we thought we were different as the night is from the day

(DJ P0N-3 nods her head faintly to the beat, then gets her shades yanked off by Applejack; surprise gives way to a smile.)

                        Until Twilight Sparkle helped us see another way

(Now lined up, they dance and twirl in unison.)

All five:                So get up, get down if you’re gonna come around

                        We can work together, helping Twilight win the crown

(Rainbow jumps onto a chair and plants a foot on its back; it topples over, but she lands upright, appearing on a cell phone video.)

                        So get up, get down ’cause it’s gonna make a sound

(Rainbow and Rarity sweep over to a techie filming the scene on his phone, and Applejack and Fluttershy dance.)

                        If we work together, helping Twilight Sparkle win the crown

Synth and all percussion but bass drum out; rhythm guitar only

All parts gradually come back in by the start of the next chorus

(The view is swiftly pushed away by Pinkie as if it were a sliding door; next she sings to one girl through a megaphone while upside down, blowing her hair back.)

Pinkie:                 Hey, hey, hands up now, we’re sending a message to the crowd

(She raises and lowers a boy’s arms in time, then twirls near the counter.)

                        Hands wave up, then come down, we party together all around

(Cut to a close-up of Rarity, which slides away and is replaced by each of the others as their Elements are reeled off.)

Rarity:                 Generous, honesty

Applejack:                Laughter, kindness, loyalty

(Fluttershy pulls Applejack and Pinkie in close.)

Fluttershy:                Twilight helped us each to see

(Rainbow lands in front of them.)

Rainbow:                 All that we can be

(They high-step around the tables and fall in a line.)

All five:                So get up, get down if you’re gonna come around

                        We can work together, helping Twilight win the crown

(Fluttershy and Pinkie run ahead, and Applejack playfully tips a girl’s chair back.)

                        So get up, get down ’cause it’s gonna make a sound

(They head for the doors, and Pinkie and Rarity pull them open.)

                        If we work together, helping Twilight Sparkle win the crown

Lighter percussion with handclaps; guitar out

(Twilight is out here, dressed as the others.)

Twilight:                I’m gonna be myself, no matter what I do

                        And if we’re different, yeah, I want you to be true to you

(By this point, she has passed the rocker table; Flash strikes a chord on his guitar.)

                        If you follow me, we’ll put our differences aside

(She hops onto a table and winks.)

                        We’ll stick together and start working on that school pride

All instruments out except handclaps

(Six-part unison choreography to fit the next line, including a spin that sends Applejack’s hat flying off her head and falling back onto it.)

All six:                Jump up, make a sound [Hey!] stomp your hooves, turn around

                        Start now, make a change, gonna come around

Bass drum and rhythm/bass guitars in

(Pinkie eases one of the dramas out of her seat; Applejack and Fluttershy surprise a fashionista; Pinkie happily watches two feet start to stomp; Rainbow twirls a tray on one finger.)

All six:                  Jump up, make a sound [Hey!] stomp your hooves, turn around

                        Canterlot Wondercolts, help her win the crown

(The drummer of Flash’s clique sits behind a handy kit and adds a beat, and Flash puts his six-string to work in earnest as Pinkie hurls an armload of ears and tails into the crowd.)

Handclaps out; all other parts and guitar solo in

All six:                 Jump up, make a sound [Hey!] stomp your hooves, turn around

(Silver puts on ears, Diamond ears and a tail which she waggles for the camera.)

                        Start now, make a change, gonna come around

(In no time flat, students from all social groups are celebrating with one another.)

                        Jump up, make a sound [Hey!] stomp your hooves, turn around

                        Canterlot Wondercolts, help her win the crown

(Another rocker joins in on guitar.)

Jump up, make a sound [Hey!] stomp your hooves, turn around

                        Start now, make a change, gonna come around

(Among the dancing students is DJ P0N-3, seen only from the waist up in previous shots. Now the lower half of her outfit is fully visible: magenta leggings with jagged pink slashes, and blue boots edged in white at soles and tops, with a light blue patch above the heel. Each is marked with a magenta star trailed by a light blue lightning bolt. Sunset can be seen just outside the doors, glaring through their full-length glass panes. Cut to her; looking back past herself, then to Snips and Snails dancing up a storm in the hall. They too have procured some of Rarity’s ears and tails.)

All six: (muffled)        Jump up, make a sound [Hey!] stomp your hooves, turn around

(Zoom out to frame the edge of Sunset’s face.)

Sunset: Take those off! 

(They stop getting down and sheepishly follow orders; now the lyrics can no longer be heard. Close-up, zooming in slightly.)

Sunset: (smirking) I have something I need you to do.

Music fades into the background score

(The smug expression settles in a bit more firmly as she aims two narrowed blue-green eyes back over her shoulder. Fade to black.)

Act Three

(Opening shot: snap to a close-up of the ringing school bell, then cut to several students going about their business. Every one of them sports ears and a tail, and Twilight and her friends are still in their Canterlot High sweaters.)

Rarity: (giggling) Doesn’t everyone look just fabulous?

Twilight: It was a great idea, Rarity!

(Applejack’s smile runs away from her face; cut to Sunset, Snips, and Snails strolling up.)

Applejack: (from o.s.) Don’t know what she’s smilin’ about. Twilight’s the one that’s gonna be Princess of the Fall Formal.

(The unholy trinity moves along, with Snips flicking fingers from the end of his nose to point at them and Snails stifling a laugh. A collective glance off down the hall shows the girls that they have stopped before a closed door. After Sunset knocks, the camera cuts to a close-up of a woman’s head and shoulders emerging as it opens—Vice-Principal Luna. Hair in two shades of blue, pale blue skin, blue-green eyes, magenta top with a white collar marked by a dark blue crescent moon.)

Sunset: (from o.s., on verge of tears) Vice-Principal Luna! (Cut to her, kneeling with hands clasped.) Something terrible has happened!

(Wipe to the gym, where the decorations for the Formal have been well and truly wrecked, and zoom out to frame the two watching from the end opposite the stage.)

Sunset: Isn’t this just awful? And after Pinkie Pie worked so hard to make things so perfect!

(Head-on shot of them on the end of this; Luna’s top is a short-sleeved blouse circled by a dark blue belt with a white buckle. The sight causes her eyes to pop; cut to Sunset.)

Sunset: Why would Twilight Sparkle do something like this? (Pan to Luna.)

Luna: Why would you think Twilight was responsible for something like this?

(Cut to behind them; Sunset holds up a file folder. Luna wears purple slacks and low-heeled white shoes.)

Sunset: Because I have proof.

(Zoom out slightly to frame Flash, who is watching from the doorway and going quite unnoticed. The circumstances do not sit right in his mind, and he backs quietly away. Fade to black.)

(Fade in to a pan across Luna’s darkened office and stop. Twilight sits in front of her crescent-moon-marked desk, while she stands at the window, folder and photos in hand. The blinds are closed, and none of the lights are on. Twilight has removed her ears and tail and changed back into her light blue blouse.)

Twilight: But…but I don’t understand.

(Close-up of the desk surface; the folder is tossed down in front of her, falling open so that the photos inside are exposed to her view.)

Luna: (from o.s.) This is clearly you in the photographs, is it not?

(Cut to a pan across them on the end of this. They present three slightly blurred shots of Twilight kicking over chairs, booting a backdrop to kindling, standing and grinning by the shattered disco ball. She grimaces mightily and tries to shrink into herself a bit.)

Twilight: Yes, but… (Luna is back at the window.)

Luna: (peeking through blinds, leaning over desk toward Twilight) I think it should be fairly obvious that the school cannot let someone who would do something like this compete for the Fall Formal crown.

(Scared purple eyes stare up at stern blue-green ones…and Twilight covers hers in silent resignation…and then comes a knock at the door. Zoom out slightly as it squeaks open, a rectangle of light cutting across the floor from outside. The shadow of Flash’s head is visible.)

Flash: (from o.s.) Vice-Principal Luna. (Cut to him, holding some documents; he steps in.) I found these in a trash can in the library. (He hands them over—more photos.) I thought you should see them.

(As she lifts them up for a closer inspection, a hole can be seen cut out of one page. Cut to her perspective of an uncut image—Twilight kicking the backdrop apart—then pan to the cut one on the next line. Taken during the one-on-one soccer game against Rainbow, it has had the new girl’s figure cropped out of it, an exact match for her in the other. Luna slides them together and apart.)

Flash: (from o.s.) Someone obviously combined these photos to make it look like Twilight was the one who trashed the gym. (Cut to him and Luna.)

Luna: (crossing office) I appreciate you bringing this to my attention, Flash. (sitting at her desk to address Twilight) In light of this new evidence, you may of course continue your bid to be crowned the Princess of the Fall Formal.

(Cut to Twilight on the end of this; she instantly brightens at the news and races across to grab the budding sleuth up in a hug. The window blinds snap upward, letting in sunlight to brighten the dim room.)

Twilight: Thank you! You have no idea how important this is to me. (She backs off, blushing slightly, and gets a small smile.)

Flash: What was I gonna do? Not prove your innocence? Wouldn’t be much of a Canterlot Wondercolt, would I?

Luna: (standing up) I am afraid enough damage has been done to the gym that we will have to postpone the dance until tomorrow night. (The open door; she continues o.s.) If you will excuse me… (stepping into view toward hall) …I need to let my sister know about this latest development.

(The two teens shift their attention to each other as her footsteps die away.)

Flash: So, uh, I was wondering…if you aren’t already going with somebody… (Close-up; zoom in.) …want to go to the Fall Formal with me tomorrow night?

(A fresh tinge of red colors the violet cheeks as she looks up at him with big adoring eyes, and she leans her head gently on his chest.)

Twilight: (whispering) That would be… (Sudden panic; she backs away as if shocked.) …tomorrow night? No! No-no-no-no-no, no, no, no! No! No-no-no-no-no!

(During the machine-gun fusillade of rejections, the camera cuts first to his surprised expression, then to Spike tucking himself inside her backpack just before she sweeps it up, then to outside the office as she barrels away.)

Twilight: I can’t…the portal…that’ll be too late! (Flash steps out, closing the door.)

Flash: (calling after her) One “no” would’ve been fine!

(Off he goes. Dissolve to the exterior of a girls’ fashion shop, as evidenced by the sign above the door depicting a dress, purse, and hearts. The overall décor bears a passing resemblance to that of the Carousel Boutique, in fact. Zoom in slowly as Twilight makes a beeline for the front door, then cut to a shoe display inside. She races past Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rarity and into a dressing room, where she sets down her carryon number-one assistant and leans against a wall to catch her breath. All six girls have changed into their usual clothing and ditched the ears and tails. Cut to Rarity.)

Rarity: Everything okay in there?

Twilight: (from inside) Yes! (Back to her; she lowers her voice to address herself.) Only it’s not okay. It’s not okay at all! If I don’t get my crown tonight, I won’t be able to go back to Equestria for another thirty moons!

(She sinks to the floor with a forlorn little sigh, covering her face, as Spike steps a bit closer, now out of the bag.)

Twilight: What are we gonna do? (He keeps his voice down as well.)

Spike: Hmmm…we tell them the truth. Let them know what’s really at stake if you don’t get the crown tonight. They’ll help us figure something out. (Twilight lowers her hands.)

Twilight: But what if they won’t? (She turns to a mirror.) What if when they find out just how different I really am…?

(Her reflection wavers a bit and shifts into the original equine version, eyes quivering with fear and indecision, and she cannot bring herself to finish the sentence.)

Spike: Twilight, these girls rallied around you ’cause they saw what was in your heart. They aren’t gonna feel any differently about you when they find out you’re a pony princess in Equestria.

(During this line, the camera cuts back to her mirror image, which is soon joined by his own before reverting to her bipedal variant. Twilight mulls this over for a second or two that feels like a week, then turns away to pet him with a smile.)

Twilight: I’m glad you followed me here, Spike.

Spike: Me too—unless, of course, we get stuck here for another thirty moons.

(Cut to just outside the dressing room and zoom out quickly as Twilight yanks the curtain aside from within. Four resolute eyes, two purple and two green, stare straight ahead at her five new friends, interrupted in the process of checking out or trying on new duds.)

Applejack: You okay?

Twilight: The Fall Formal isn’t happening tonight.

Pinkie: What?!?!?

Twilight: It had to be postponed because Sunset Shimmer had Snips and Snails ruin all of Pinkie Pie’s decorations.

Pinkie: What?!?!?

Twilight: But the Fall Formal has to happen tonight.

Pinkie: Wha—

(This exclamation gets cut short by Applejack’s hand clamping itself over her mouth; two green eyes shooting her a “don’t even think about it” look before cutting back toward Twilight. The latter lets out a heavy sigh and gets ready to lay it out.)

Twilight: You see—

(The second Applejack lowers her hand, it is as if the pipe connecting Pinkie’s brain and tongue has burst.)

Pinkie: (rapid fire) You’re from an alternate world and you’re a pony princess there and the crown actually has a magical element embedded in it that helps power up other magical elements and without it they don’t work anymore and you need them to help protect your magical world, and if you don’t get the crown tonight, you’ll be stuck in this world and you won’t be able to get back for, like, really, really long time!

(She cranks off the biggest, squeakiest grin of her life, in this world or the other, and none of the four alongside her quite knows what to make of this verbal tsunami. Twilight, on the other hand, lets her jaw hang full open in undiluted shock, her eyes bugging out as a donkey’s bray echoes in the shop. Spike is not faring much better with the realization that Pinkie has drilled a bullseye, but Rainbow is completely unfazed and scratching the back of her head.)

Rainbow: Yeah. I’m pretty sure that isn’t the reason.

Spike: Nope, she’s pretty much spot on.

(Now Rarity gets into the act, so gobsmacked by this last that she claps hands to temples.)

Rarity: He can talk?!?

Spike: (walking to her) Oh, yeah. And back where I come from, I’m not even a dog! (standing up on hind legs) I’m a ferocious, fire-breathing dragon!

(As he throws off a cocky little smile, Fluttershy shoves Pinkie and Rarity aside in her eagerness.)

Fluttershy: (giddily) This is so amazing! (kneeling down to him) Tell me, what are you thinking right now?

(The oddness of this particular question leaves him at a loss. Cut to his perspective of the ear-to-ear-smiling yellow face pushed up into his own, accompanied by a shudder from the o.s. Rarity, and pan to the latter. Witnessing his power of speech has left her completely dumbstruck; at ground level, he eases his way over to her leg.)

Spike: Sure would love a scratch behind the old ears. (Rarity mumbles incoherently.) Uh…maybe later.

Twilight: (to Pinkie) How did you know all that?

Pinkie: Just a hunch.

Applejack: Wait a minute! Let me get this straight. You’re a pony?

Rarity: You’re a princess? (Fluttershy straightens up partway.)

Fluttershy: You’re from another world?

(Now fully bowled out, Twilight can do little but scratch the back of her head and offer a shaky, blushing smile.)

Twilight: (swallowing hard, nodding) Mmm-hmm.

Rainbow: (levelly) That…is… (beaming) …awesome!

(The others voice similar opinions as they gather around the out-of-towner.)

Spike: See? Told you.

(Dissolve to the six girls and one dog standing inside the gym door and zoom out slowly as they survey the devastation.)

Rarity: I simply cannot believe they did all this!

Pinkie: If I only had some kind of party cannon that could decorate everything super-fast.

Twilight: I know it seems impossible, but… (She turns to face the others.) …maybe if we all work together?

Light electric guitar/percussion melody, brisk 4 (D major)

Applejack: (winking) Now that’s the kinda can-do spirit I’m lookin’ for in a Fall Formal Princess. (She holds a hand out, palm down.) Let’s do it, y’all!

(Close-up of that hand; one by one, each girl adds hers on top of it in turn. The next four lines are all delivered from o.s.)

Rarity: Absolutely!

Rainbow: Rock on!

Pinkie: Yes indeedily!

Fluttershy: Yaaaay.

(The five look expectantly toward Twilight, who smiles gratefully and adds her own hand on top. Zoom out to an overhead view of the six as they raise these hands toward the ceiling.)

Twilight:        It’s time for us to come together

(She opens a closet, finds pushbrooms, and brings out them out while Spike carries a bucket.)

                It’s the only way that things’ll get better

(Brooms are thrown to the others. Rainbow catches and twirls one, Applejack holds hers at the ready, Rarity holds hers disgustedly in two fingers, Pinkie jumps up to catch hers, and a scared Fluttershy gets hit in the head with the fifth.)

                It’s time for us to take a stand

                So come on and lend a helping hand

(Debris is quickly swept away; Rarity keeps her broom at arm’s length as an infatuated Spike keeps after her.)

More guitar in with backing synth

All six:         Fix it up, yeah, it’s all right

(Three pairs of broom heads push their junk piles together.)

                We’ll get it ready by tonight

(Snap to a dark gray ground, which backs up from the camera and resolves into a full trash bag held by Applejack.)

                Mix it up, yeah, help a friend

(Toss to Fluttershy, then Rarity, then a hasty heave to Rainbow, then a neat lob into the can Pinkie is holding.) 

                We’ll come together in the end

(Two athletes pass by the gym and spot Twilight struggling to drag a broken table off the floor. They back up to watch, one cocking an eyebrow at the other; one shared shrug later, both are on their way in to help.)

Guitar drops back, but slowly builds up again

Pinkie, Rainbow:        It’s time to show that we’ve got school spirit

(They pick up the ends and haul away.)

                        Raise your voice and let everyone hear it

(Right behind them comes Applejack, carrying a second table under one arm and moving faster than these two.)

Applejack, Rarity:        It’s time to show that we’re strong

(Pinkie charges across the floor, using her head instead of her broom to clear the trash.)

                        So come on, everybody sing along

(Even though she comes up with all manner of dirt and debris matted into her hair, she still cranks off a giggle.)

(Streamers are thrown over the rafters; tilt down to frame Fluttershy and Rarity on this job as two fashionista girls walk by.)

All six:         [Look] Look how we’ve all come together

(They take notice, as does a third, and walk in through a sudden rain of streamers. When the view clears, they are slinging a few of their own.)

                [Things] Things are only just starting to get better

(One of the eco-kids catches a flying roll and is welcomed in by the three, one of whom ties a streamer around her forehead to match his own headband.)

                [Look] Look how we’ve all come together

(An athlete and a techie carry a speaker and spot Featherweight up on the stage, trying to hang a spotlight while standing on a very tall ladder.)

                [Things] Things are only gonna get better, better, better, better

(In close-up, he starts to totter back and forth but stops suddenly; tilt down to frame a newly arrived athlete bracing the ladder. Smiles from both ends, and Featherweight gets a thumbs-up before setting the light in place.)

Synthesizer in

Background lyrics are sung under the main line that follows them

All six:        [We will] Fix it up, yeah, it’s all right

(Twilight surveys the work in progress with a satisfied half-smile.)

                [Come tonight, tonight] We’ll get it ready by tonight

(Dissolve to Flash and a couple of other rockers warming up on the stage: guitar, keys, drums. They glance off to one side; pan to a techie at that end, running the soundboard.)

                [We will] Mix it up, yeah, help a friend

(The techie slides one fader control all the way up and gives a thumbs-up; onstage, Twilight walks backwards, pulling her broom, and bumps into Flash.)

                [Come together, together] We’ll come together in the end

(Confusion over the collision turns into a pair of warm smiles and a blush on Twilight’s end.)

[We will] Fix it up, yeah, it’s all right

(Dissolve to an archway being set up as a picture backdrop, with balloons and autumn product and leaves for decoration.)

                [Come tonight, tonight] We’ll get it ready by tonight

(Zoom out slightly; Photo is setting her camera up on a nearby stool.)

                [We will] Mix it up, yeah, help a friend

(Dissolve to a long shot of the entire gym, seen from the stage, and pan to follow Applejack as she crosses from one end to the other. She and Twilight meet and are soon joined by Rainbow, resting arms across each other’s shoulders as they watch the finishing touches. Dissolve to a head-on view and zoom out to frame a line of six very happy and satisfied friends. Pinkie’s hair is now free of the crud she swept up into it.)

                [Come] Come together, together now

Song ends

(Dissolve to the upper reaches of the fully festooned gym and tilt down to floor level.)

Pinkie: (struggling to contain herself) This…looks…sooo… (jumping happily) …good!

(The sound of one pair of hands clapping is heard; cut to the gym door. Celestia and Luna have entered, the former using her palms and the latter holding a locked box.)

Celestia: All right, everyone, Fall Formal is back on for this evening. (Cheers.) So you better get out of here and start getting ready. Oh, and don’t forget to cast your ballots for Fall Formal Princess on your way out!

(Cut to assorted students on their way to the door after the second sentence, then to the two officials and finally to a close-up of Luna during the third. As each one leaves, he/she drops a marked ballot into the box.)

Fashionista boy: You got my vote, Twilight.

Athlete girl: Mine too. (Close-up of the box as more ballots go in.)

Other girls’ voices: Mine too…Mine too.

(Cut to within a darkened space, the camera positioned just behind Sunset and aimed over her shoulder. A door opens in front of her, letting in light and revealing the students lined up to cast their votes—she is hiding in a closet of sports equipment—and a head-on view points up her supreme vexation. She turns away from the door to focus on Snips and Snails, who are sitting in here as well; Snips has put on a football helmet, while Snails tosses a baseball idly.)

Sunset: You’re lucky she was able to pull this off. Next time I ask you to make a mess of things— (Cut to the two boys; she continues o.s., one hip barely in view.) —try to show a little restraint! (To her again.) I need this formal to go on tonight just as much as she does.

(The door slowly swings closed to hide her from view. Dissolve to the exterior of the fashion shop and zoom in slowly toward the door.)

Fluttershy: (from inside) I still can’t believe we pulled that off!

Rainbow: (from inside) I can.

(Cut to all but Rarity inside, walking through the place.)

Rainbow: We’re awesome! (Zoom out slightly as they stop; Rarity stands facing them.)

Rarity: Enough chatter, girls. We need to get ready… (She yanks a rack of dresses over.) …and we need to look… (tossing a handful of them across) …fabulous!

Synth/drum pop melody, brisk 4 (E flat major)

(Once the gale of finery settles, Fluttershy holds a strapless gown in shades of green and tan in front of herself, and Pinkie does a couple of quick changes through various outfits.)

All six:        This is our big night

(Rainbow finds herself in a pink/yellow dress with extremely puffy sleeves, to her surprise.)

                We’re getting ready and we’re doing it up right

(She throws a dirty look to Rarity, who grins nervously and shoves her o.s.)

                This is our big night

(Wipe to a profile close-up of Applejack and zoom out. She has found a simple, full-length green dress marked with three red apples. Rarity, wearing the same style of reading glasses favored by her pony self while working, gets an idea and whisks in to bring the hemline up to knee level.)

                Friendship survived, now we’ll start it out right

(The farm girl seems rather less than pleased at the alteration. Cut to a blank mirror, where Pinkie—back in her usual outfit—pops up with her hair fluffed out to ridiculous proportions. A few quick cuts take her through other styles, the last of which is completely straight but poofs back up on its own into her usual hairdo.)

All six:        The time’s right, gonna make it last ’cause it’s the first night

                That we’re ever gonna start to just have fun together

(This one does the trick for her, and a balloon drifts down over the screen. Behind its trailing edge, wipe to a swath of pink hair and zoom out. Fluttershy is brushing it out, with help from Angel and the bird she hid in her backpack.)

                We’re so glad, so happy, we could never be mad

(Pan to Spike, who tries on some false mustaches in front of a mirror.)

                Did it right, now this is our big night, now

(Dissolve to Rarity, painting her fingernails at a vanity—to the point that each one clearly shows her winking reflection—and applying mascara and blush. She has shed her glasses.)

All six:         Six friends on the way up now

(Extreme close-up of her mouth as she plies a lipstick on it, then dissolve to the others at the vanities. They are all back in their street clothes now; Twilight is combing out Rainbow’s hair, and Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie primp a bit.)

                Six friends here to show you how

(They are interrupted by the return of Rarity, who opens the small chest she carries to reveal a vivid assortment of jewelry. Faces light up at the display, and she heaves the contents upward so that they fly in all directions.)

All six:        This is our big night

(The background behind a three-balloon earring dissolves to become the lobe of Pinkie’s ear, to which it is now attached. Zoom out; she beams at the accessory, and Rarity clasps on a gold necklace set with small blue lozenge-shaped gems.)

                We’re getting ready and we’re doing it up right

(A winged red/pink boot with white laces is pulled on by two light blue hands now clad in magenta arm warmers.)

                This is our big night

(Now a brown ten-gallon hat with a red rose on its brim comes down on Applejack’s head; she sports gold bracelets on both wrists and a white scarf. Five girls then gather in their formalwear choices.)

                We made it happen, now let’s party all night

(Applejack: strapless blue denim dress with red belt and apples at the hem, two-tone brown boots each marked with one apple at the top, the new scarf/hat/bracelets. Fluttershy: strapless light blue gown whose skirt opens in front to expose a yellow under-layer, light blue boots with pink/yellow accents, white/pink butterflies on waist and boot tops. Pinkie: strapless pink gown with violet shawl/sash and yellow bow around the waist, violet boots with pink/yellow accents and small pink bows, blue bracelets, small blue top hat with yellow band. Rainbow: red/orange/yellow/green-striped top over a red-hemmed blue skirt with purple belt sporting a gold cloud/lightning pin, the previously seen arm warmers and winged boots. Rarity: sparkly one-shoulder dress in light blue, her gold bracelets, white boots each set with one blue gem. Of the five, Fluttershy’s hemline is the only one that stops below the knee.)

F major

(Twilight and Spike both smile at the sight, and Rarity pushes the girl into a changing room and hands her a dress.)

All six:        This is our big night

(The others and Spike gather closer as the camera zooms in slightly.)

                This is our big night

(The curtain opens to give an extreme close-up of two blue-soled, white-toed, bright pink boots styled after ballet slippers. Tilt up to frame all of the aspiring Princess: strapless, ruffled, bright pink dress with white/blue sash and a pair of matching pinstripes, just a bit of makeup to put a faint sparkle around all of her. She smiles demurely over her shoulder and turns to face the camera, exposing three white/blue starbursts on the front of her skirt and a white bow securing the sash.)

All six:        This is our big night

(The others are positively floored at the effect and move in for a closer look.)

                This is our big night

Song ends

(Dissolve to the moon and three bright stars hanging low in the evening sky, then tilt down to the statue outside Canterlot High. Students in their best duds are on their way into the building, and in short order an incredibly long stretch limousine pulls up. One rear door opens, disgorging the six laughing girls and Spike, who has procured a red bow tie and black top hat for the occasion. He and Twilight are the last ones out of the limo, just in time to see a dark gray sportscar roll to a stop at the curb. Its hood is set with a giant copy of the shield/lightning-bolt emblem from Flash’s shirt, marking this as his set of wheels, and a jagged yellow bolt runs along the driver’s side. He pops his head up over the opening door to wave, exposing a dark gray suit jacket with a red flower in the lapel, a violet vest, and the unbuttoned collar of a white dress shirt.)

Flash: Uh, Twilight! (She stops short; he runs up to her. The pants/shoes are coordinated with his other clothing.) Look, I know you said no about going to the Fall Formal with me, but…would you reconsider and at least have one dance? (He scratches the back of his head, blushing, and she smiles.)

Twilight: I didn’t say no. (Pause as she remembers.) I mean, I did, but… (placing a hand on his chest) …I didn’t mean no…to you. (blushing) I was…well, what I mean is…yes. I’d love to dance with you.

(He tucks one arm behind his back and bows to her, and she takes the other arm so they can enter the school together. When they get to the doors, though, he runs flat into a closed one with his face and gets knocked silly for a moment, just as Twilight did when she first entered the building in Act One. To be on the safe side, he makes an “after you” gesture toward the open door next to the one he hit and follows her through it.)

(Dissolve to a close-up of the new disco ball, now sparkling in the lights that hit it from below, and tilt down to the strains of a lively rock tune. The floor is packed with dancing students; even the Crusaders are here to get their groove on. Bloom’s outfit: pink with white trim; Scootaloo’s, purple and red; Sweetie’s, red with white/yellow trim. Pan from them past Diamond and Silver, then stop on the girls and Spike and cut to the stage; Flash is up here with his buddies to provide the music.)

(Pan quickly from the band back to Twilight and Rainbow, both raising their voices to be heard over the speakers.)

Twilight: Anybody seen Sunset Shimmer?

Rainbow: Maybe she was too embarrassed to show. She’s gotta know you won by a landslide.

Twilight: (not convinced) Maybe.

(Up on the stage, the band finishes and the camera pans to Celestia walking on from the wings. The techie at the soundboard turns down the volume and everyone clears off as she steps up; even without a microphone, her voice easily carries over the crowd, which falls silent.)

Celestia: First off, I want to say how wonderful everything looks tonight. You all did a magnificent job pulling things together after the unfortunate events of earlier. (gesturing to one side) And now, without further ado…

(Pan to that end of the stage, where Luna steps into view carrying a wooden strongbox.)

Celestia: (from o.s.) …I’d like to announce the winner of this year’s Fall Formal crown.

(The lid is opened on the end of this, revealing Twilight’s genuine tiara inside. She and Rainbow watch with wide eyes—the former apprehensive, the latter smiling—and Luna hands an envelope to Celestia.)

Celestia: The Princess of this year’s Fall Formal is… (Cut to a slow zoom in on the group; a round of excited gasps.)

Rainbow: (under her breath) Oh, man, this is so awesome!

(The seal is broken and a card withdrawn.)

Celestia: …Twilight Sparkle!

(There follows a round of hugs among the six and cheers from all present, during which Snips and Snails sneak into the gym. Both have donned black top hats; Snips wears a tuxedo-patterned shirt, Snails a giant red bow tie over his usual outfit. Twilight crosses the stage to Celestia, who takes the tiara from Luna’s box.)

Celestia: (lowering it toward Twilight’s head) Congratulations, Twilight.

(Close-up of it on the end of this, settling onto the dark blue hair, then zoom out as the jewel twinkles under the lights. Her five friends can barely keep their emotions in check, and Twilight waves gratefully to them and everyone from the stage. The noise dies off abruptly.)

Spike: (from o.s., panicked) Twilight! (Zoom in quickly.) HEEELLLP!!

Twilight: Spike?

(The growling-mad little dog is now in the grip of Snips, who tips a nasty wink before he and Snails clear out. To Spike’s credit, though, he nearly gets loose, losing his hat and tie, and has to be briefly restrained by both boys as they go.)

Twilight: (jumping off stage, running across gym) They’ve got Spike!

(Bursting out into the hall, she follows the two delinquents through one turn, but skids out on the next and hits the lockers. A quick look back tells her that the rest of the crew is on the way, prompting her to get back in the chase. Snips and Snails race past Trixie at the vending machine, the six girls barely missing her as they charge by, and make it out of the building. Outside, Twilight bursts through the fire doors, catches sight of the dognappers rounding a corner, and follows them across the lawn. Cut to ground level, the camera positioned next to the base of the statue, as Snips and Snails come around the final turn and head toward it. When Twilight and company start to close in, though, Sunset’s flame-tipped boots plant themselves firmly next to the masonry. Tilt up to her waist, framing the end of a handle or shaft in one hand, then cut to the girls—including a suddenly surprised Twilight.)

(A head-on view of Sunset tells the story: the handle is that of a sledgehammer, which she hefts over her shoulder in preparation to swing at the portal leading back to Equestria.)

Sunset: That’s close enough!

(All stop dead. Overhead view of the standoff, panning slowly from the six to Sunset, then cut to the boys and Spike.)

Spike: Twilight! (Snails clamps a hand over his muzzle to silence him.)

Twilight: Don’t hurt him!

Sunset: (smugly) Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it. I’m not a monster, Twilight. (to the boys) Let him go.

(That order earns a couple of puzzled glances, but they follow it and put Spike on the grass. He runs off; cut to the girls as Twilight kneels to pick him up.)

Sunset: (from o.s.) You don’t belong here. (reaching into view) Give me the crown, and you can go back to Equestria tonight. (Cut to her on the last word.) Or keep it, and never go home.

(She gets ready for the strike, prompting a gasp from the newly crowned Princess.)

Sunset: Tick-tock, Twilight. We haven’t got all night. The portal will be closing on its own in less than an hour.

(On the second half of this line, tilt up to the moon and stars, putting her o.s. The view then shifts to directly behind her heels, framing the scared/nervous/hacked-off girls between them.)

Sunset: (menacingly) So, what’s your answer?

(Twilight cradles Spike for a moment…then slowly reaches up and removes her tiara…then narrows her eyes in an extreme close-up.)

Twilight: No. (Same shot of Sunset.)

Sunset: What?!? (Longer shot.) Equestria! Your friends! Lost to you forever! Don’t you see what I’m about to do to the portal?

(Now Twilight stands up; zoom out slowly to frame the entire group. Applejack has removed her hat.)

Twilight: Yes. But I’ve also seen what you’ve been able to do here without magic. (Spike jumps down.) Equestria will find a way to survive without my Element of Harmony. (Cut to a suddenly unnerved Sunset; she continues o.s.) This place might not, if I allow it to fall into your hands. (Back to her.) So go ahead. Destroy the portal. You are not getting this crown!

(And with that, she plunks it firmly back on her head. One beat of dead silence.)

Sunset: Fine. (raising hammer) You win.

(Instead of swinging for the fences, she lets it drop backwards over her head, barely missing Snips’ and Snails’ feet and carving a deep divot in the lawn. The tension in Twilight’s mind gradually relieves itself as Rainbow rushes up to her.)

Rainbow: You are so awesome! (Here come Applejack and Rarity; the former has her hat back on.)

Applejack: (thumping Twilight on the arm) Can’t believe you were gonna do that for us.

(Cut to a sulking Sunset, with Snails standing glumly behind her.)

Rarity: (from o.s.) It’s no wonder you’re a real live princess.

(Those words set off a quiet growl whose frustration translates into words all too soon.)

Sunset: Oh, yes, she’s so very special!

(She dives across, tackling Twilight to the ground, and the tiara bounces away as the two struggle to reach it. Spike watches it roll past him; Sunset is first to make a grab, but Twilight drags her backwards and the dragon-turned-dog jumps on her head, snatches it in his teeth, and darts away.)

Sunset: (over her shoulder) Grab him, you fool!

(Cut to Snips and Snails on the end of this, they charge after him, but she outpaces both and shoves them down, Snails losing his hat. They get up and resume pursuit, being chased in turn by the girls, and Spike beats paws up the front steps. However, he is stopped short by the closed doors, whose handles are too high for him to reach, and he finds Sunset’s shadow and savagely grinning visage leaning over him.)

Rainbow: (running up, waving arms) SPIKE!! SPIKE!!

(He quickly catches her drift and heaves it to her, but Snips promptly tries to snatch it away. There follows a brief tug-of-war, which ends with the tiara in her hands and him falling on his face, and Snails’ attempt at the steal only earns him a palm shoved into his face to keep him at bay.)

Rainbow: (throwing tiara) Fluttershy!

(Across the way, it bounces off her back, then into her hands when she turns around. Here come the three miscreants straight toward her, throwing her into a panic; Applejack responds by pulling out a coil of rope and lassoing her away so that Sunset grabs nothing but air. The yank causes Fluttershy to lose her grip on the tiara, and Snips is there to make the catch and hold it overhead. His victory is short-lived, though, as Pinkie reaches from behind him to pick it away and hand off to Applejack, who throws it to Rarity, who slings it to Twilight. Her victory lasts just as long; Snips and Snails rush her, causing her to throw the prize backwards out of reflex. Cut to a close-up of it being caught by Sunset.)

Sunset: (from o.s.) I’ll take that! (Ground level, framing her legs in the fore; she straightens up and laughs softly, madly.) At last.

(Spike has all his teeth bared and is ready to go on the offensive, but Twilight scoops him up.)

Sunset: More power than I could ever imagine!

(Once she nestles the tiara among the red/yellow-streaked locks, its jewel starts to hum with black magic and emits a field that courses down over her body. It consolidates into a blue-green pillar of energy, coupled with black bursts issuing upward from the ground, and slowly lifts her clear of her feet as all shield their eyes. Applejack’s hat is blown off by the shock wave. One by one, the girls risk a look at the cataclysm; a few students venture out from the front entrance and gasp softly as well. By now, Sunset has been carried almost to roof level, and in close-up, she opens her streaming eyes to reveal pure white light glowing behind the lids as the tiara blazes madly. Piece by piece, her body reconfigures itself: reddish-pink hide, dark gray jagged-heeled boots, a plume of straight red/yellow hair that begins to wave crazily under the force field’s influence. One final burst whites out the screen.)

(Fade in to a close-up of the new footwear and tilt up. Sunset’s dark gray boots now sport red trim at their tops; she wears a raggedly cut strapless dress slashed with red and yellow and a black belt; her hair is swept up into a fireball-like mass, with a long tail emerging from under the dress; in addition to the red-pink skin, she also sports tattered, two-tone red bat wings and is a good bit taller than before. Her eyes open, revealing black pupils and whites to set off the pale blue-green irises, and laughs wildly upon running them over her new form.)

(She gathers power into her hands and the tiara and lets it blast into Snips and Snails, turning them into demonic creatures similar to her and sending Snips’ hat flying. Each one ends up with a shredded dark gray shirt and boots, both marked with flames to match their new upswept hair; Snips’ is blue, Snails’ orange. In addition, they acquire nasty sharp pointy teeth and forked tongues, and Snails tries his out with an experimental hiss.)

Snips: This is gonna be so cool!

(Everyone but Twilight backs slowly away from the pair’s advance, Rainbow ready to throw some hands. As Applejack trips and tumbles to the grass, Twilight voices a quiet, infuriated growl, having turned her attention elsewhere. The sound of distant screaming snaps her back to the moment; cut to a long shot of the front entrance, where a knot of students has taken cover and others are running for it. The clamor draws Sunset’s gaze, though, and when the camera cuts away from her, they think better of it and race back in through the doors, pulling them shut. Her shadow casts itself across the steps, wings flapping with slow, terrible deliberation; cut to her, landing, on the start of the next line. There is a slight reverberating undertone to her words now, somewhat like that of Queen Chrysalis in Part Two of “A Canterlot Wedding.”)

Sunset: I’ve had to jump through so many hoops tonight, just to get my hands on this crown. (Close-up of the students, seen through the glass; pan as she continues o.s.) And it really should have been mine all along.

(Back to her, one eye twitching above her fang-filled, snarling grimace; suddenly she breaks into a very unsettling smile.)

Sunset: But let’s let bygones be bygones. (tiara powering up) I am your Princess now… (ditto one hand) …and you will be loyal… (Her perspective of the entrance; she closes that hand into a fist.) …to me!

(The gesture envelops the doors in a magical aura and crushes them to rubble, which she whisks away with an easy sidewise flick. Now only a gaping hole stands at the top of the steps, making easy targets of the students who took refuge in the lobby, and they scatter screaming as she swoops in after them. Rather than attack, she puts fingertips to temples and summons up a spell that causes her eyes to burn pure white before manifesting hypnotic spirals and licks of blackest flame. The magic pours down onto the students’ heads to stop them cold, and they turn to present blank white eyesockets to the camera. One after another, Sunset’s thralls begin to moan and shamble zombie-like toward her. She addresses Snips and Snails, now also inside the building.)

Sunset: Round them up and bring them to the portal.

(They salute and run off to do so; she steps out only to find Twilight waiting at the bottom of the steps. The forcibly dethroned Princess is good and sore, and the five friends backing her up are not too happy either.)

Sunset: (aside) Spoiler alert. (to Twilight) I was bluffing when I said I was going to destroy the portal. (Zoom out slightly.) I don’t want to rule this pathetic little high school. (leaning down in close-up) I want Equestria! (gesturing to the students) And with my own little teenage army behind me, I’m going to get it!

(On the end of this, pan away from her to frame them, with her two flunkies hovering above. Flash slogs far enough toward the front of the crowd to give Twilight a good view of him. In close-up, her expression melts into one of purest horror, but shifts into steel-belted resolve just as quickly.)

Twilight: No. You’re not.

(As a chill wind begins to blow around her feet, zoom out to frame Sunset’s hovering pair just above ground level. Cut to a head-on view of her on the start of the next line.)

Sunset: Oh, please. What exactly do you think you’re going to do to stop me? I have magic, and you have nothing!

(She emphasizes the last word by leaning over her adversary and letting her hair briefly flare up into a ball of flame. On the next line, cut to the other five stepping up and ready for a scrap, Applejack settling her hat back in place.)

Rainbow: She has us!

(Twilight grins hugely back at them, but Sunset adopts a snarling grimace and lets one eye start twitching again. All six fall in line amid the swirling winds as the demon’s contemptuous laughter drifts down to them.)

Sunset: (from o.s.) Gee. (Long shot of the face-off.) The gang really is all back together again.

(A fresh bout of the giggles leaves her wiping a tear from one eye; it ends as if slashed off with a knife, and she conjures a ball of energy between her hands as her eyes go pure gray.)

Sunset: Now step aside. Twilight has tried to interfere with my plans one too many times already! (Zoom out quickly; it grows several sizes and she hoists it.) She needs to be dealt with!

(Here comes the pitch, the camera shifting to ride with it straight toward Twilight’s head—but the other girls dive into view around her, ahead and behind, and take it on the chin. The screen flares red and clears to give a close-up of Sunset’s gloating countenance, then zooms out as she laughs wildly. Her eyes have resumed their blue-green/black appearance. Exultation turns into hopeless confusion just before a second, quicker zoom that frames Twilight in the center of a huddle of all five friends. Not only are they completely unharmed, they are in fact being protected by a magenta aura that has sprung up out of nowhere.)

Sunset: What?

(The others step back a pace from Twilight, exposing the hands they have linked to encircle her, and she and they react with no small degree of wonder at this mighty save. She is first to figure it out, having seen it firsthand in Equestria on multiple occasions, and aims a confident finger up at her nemesis.)

Twilight: The magic contained in my Element was able to unite with those that helped create it!

(Cut to Sunset on the end of this; she lowers the hands she has clapped to the stolen tiara, and a beam of the magenta energy lances out from its jewel. It descends to the sextet, having grown so intense that it has partially gone white, and lifts them off the grass. A flare of white fills the screen, and a tumble of apples turns the background to orange-tan. Applejack’s head rises into view, a pair of pony ears materializing under the brim of her ten-gallon hat; tilt down as her tied-back blond hair lengthens nearly to the ground and forms a long tail-like braid. A burst of light and apples around her red silhouette clears to show her standing against a backdrop that depicts a single giant red fruit and four smaller triplets. Each of Twilight’s next five lines is delivered as an echoing voice-over.)

Twilight: Honesty!

(A swarm of butterflies boils up past the lens, the background going yellow behind them, and Fluttershy rises into view. The emergence of her own new ears catches her off guard, followed by a pair of wings sprouting from her back and a tied-off extra length of hair. Her silhouette, pink, is enveloped by a light/butterfly burst; when the view clears, she stands against a giant pink butterfly and three small trios.)

Twilight: Kindness!

(A mass of balloons surges past, the background going pink behind them, and now it is Pinkie’s turn to get her ears and tail-like hair extension. She has a bit of fun by bending over to stare at its trailing end through her legs, then does a quick cartwheel to come up as a magenta silhouette. Light and balloons flare around her and subside, leaving her in a joyful pose against a single huge yellow balloon and many blue/yellow triples.)

Twilight: Laughter!

(Blue gems rain down; behind them, the backdrop goes light blue and the camera shifts to an extreme close-up of one of Rarity’s newly forming ears. She glances warmly back over her shoulder, her hair extending and acquiring a jeweled band on the extra length, and twirls it around herself as a purple silhouette. Blue gems fly everywhere, then a blast of light, and she stands in front of a giant one and many small threes.)

Twilight: Generosity!

(Here comes a rainbow surge; the background goes a darker blue, and Rainbow earns her ears, wings, and extended hair. Her dark blue silhouette executes a spin kick and comes up into a half-crouch as light bursts forth amid a shower of cloud/lightning-bolts. She comes out in front of a huge one surrounded by smaller copies.)

Twilight: Loyalty!

(Rainbow flies o.s., and Twilight’s cutie mark appears at center screen and grows outward to fill the view. Fade in to a close-up of the last girl, rising slowly through her own nimbus of light and with her own new pair of ears.)

Twilight: (echoing) Magic!

(Here come her wings and added hair. Cut to three silhouetted pony girls—Twilight, Rainbow, Rarity, a flare of magic burning at Twilight’s forehead—and zoom out slowly to frame all six.)

Twilight: Together with the crown, they create a power beyond anything you could imagine! (Cut to a recoiling Sunset; she continues o.s.) But it is a power you don’t have the ability to control!

(Now all six appear in full detail, the screen split into six vertical panels that show their respective cutie marks. Their outfits have taken on a little extra sparkle.)

Twilight: The crown may be upon your head, Sunset Shimmer— (Close-up.) —but you cannot wield it, because you do not possess the most powerful magic of all! (Zoom out to frame all six; she takes Rainbow’s and Rarity’s hands.) The magic of friendship!

(Now they all join hands to form a heart, the spark at Twilight’s forehead winking out, and a double helix of rainbow beams—red/orange/yellow and blue/green/violet—rips upward from them toward the heavens. The free ends meld into a ball of blinding white light, from which a complete rainbow thunders down toward Sunset.)

Sunset: No!

(She trails off into yells and grunts as the light wraps her up, starting from the toes.)

Sunset: (with effort) What is happening?

(Sparks of all colors rocket up out of the multi-hued tornado that now hides her from sight. Cut to an extreme close-up of one of Twilight’s wings and pan/zoom out to frame the girls floating against an emanation of pure white light. She has closed her eyes and is separate from the other five.)

Twilight: Here and in Equestria… (Eyes open, glowing white.) …it is the only magic that can truly unite us all!

(The rainbow energy boiling around them shoots past Sunset and scores a bullseye on Flash’s forehead, spreading from student to student in a chain reaction and snapping them out of their trance. Its final targets are Snips and Snails, who end up caught in their own tornadoes. Next Twilight closes her eyes and floats tranquilly backwards, letting the brilliance around the group grow to fill the screen.)

(Fade in to a long shot of what used to the front entrance of Canterlot High as the newly recovered students gather cautiously at the top of the steps. From here, cut to a very long shot of the moon and tilt down to the statue and the lawn. The girls are sprawled out and mostly semiconscious, Applejack’s hat having fallen loose. Twilight is completely out, but the o.s. jingle of Spike’s collar marks his approach and he is soon on hand to lick her cheek, waking her up. Once she works herself to a sitting position, she smiles hugely and holds out her arms so he can jump up for a hug.)

(Zoom out slightly as the others gather around; Applejack has her hat back on, and Rainbow flies over. These five stare past Twilight in confusion mixed with a shot of fear; after a moment, she and Spike follow their gaze and have the same reaction. Cut to above the group and zoom out to frame a very large, very fresh, and very smoking crater right in front of them. After a searching gaze into the murk, the camera cuts to Twilight’s perspective as she moves closer to the lip. Her shadow, cast ahead of her, stretches over the form of a once-again-human Sunset crumpled at the bottom.)

Twilight: You will never rule in Equestria!

(Cut to just behind Sunset and tilt up slowly to frame the group.)

Twilight: Any power you may have had in this world is gone! (gesturing to one side; camera pans that direction) Tonight, you’ve shown everyone who you really are.

(The motion frames several students, including Flash and the Crusaders, as they gather at the crater lip.)

Twilight: (now o.s.) You’ve shown them what is in your heart.

(Down below, Sunset straightens partway up, framed in an extreme close-up and looking much the worse for wear. Tears stream from both eyes and over the badly scratched cheeks; she is no longer wearing the tiara.)

Sunset: (softly) I…I’m sorry. (Overhead shot of the lip, panning slowly to frame her.) I’m so sorry. I didn’t know there was another way.

Twilight: The magic of friendship doesn’t just exist in Equestria. (She turns to her friends and smiles.) It’s everywhere.

(Cut to these five. Pinkie takes this statement as the ideal cue to jump up and sweep Fluttershy/Rainbow/Rarity into a gleeful, double-armed headlock.)

Twilight: (from o.s.) You can seek it out. (Back to her, face hardening a bit.) Or you can forever be alone. (addressing the crater) The choice is yours.

(One jacket-clad arm reaches shakily into view and gets a grip on the turf so Sunset can haul head and shoulders up to ground level.)

Sunset: But…but all I’ve ever done since being here is drive everyone apart. I don’t know the first thing about friendship.

(One violet hand reaches down to grip the yellow-orange one, and Twilight braces herself and pulls the repentant teen out of the hole.)

Twilight: (gesturing to the others) I bet they can teach you.

(Applejack has doffed her hat in this shot. Close-up of Spike at several students’ feet.)

Spike: Those are my girls! (standing on hind legs, clapping) Woo-hoo! (Tilt up; the teens react with understandable surprise. One is the drummer in Flash’s band.)

Drummer: Did that dog just talk? Whoa! Weird.

Spike: (a bit snarky) Seriously? The talking dog is the weird thing about all this?

Rarity: (from o.s.) I, for one… (She reaches into view and picks him up; cut to her.) …think you’re adorable. (He gets a hearty scratch behind the ear.)

Spike: (dreamily) Oh, yeah.

(Cut to Twilight, her shining-eyed attention fixed in his direction. Celestia steps up behind her and holds up the tiara, drawing the winner’s attention when she speaks.)

Celestia: I believe this… (Close-up of it, gleaming at chest level.) …belongs to you. (Cut to frame both; Twilight kneels as she continues.) A true princess in any world leads not by forcing others to bow before her…

(Close-up of the bowed head.)

Celestia: (from o.s.) …but by inspiring others to stand with her. (She crowns Twilight; pan to frame the other five as well. Applejack’s hat is back on.) We have all seen that you are capable of just that. I hope you see it too… (She kneels down and gently lifts Twilight’s chin.) …Princess Twilight.

(The junior Princess thinks this over for a second, then smiles and nods.)

Twilight: I do.

(The moment they stand up, cheers erupt from the crowd, startling her almost to the point of jumping clear of her new wings. Cut to just behind her.)

Flash: (from o.s., extending a hand toward her back) Would now be a completely awkward time to ask you for that dance?

(She turns around, finding the guitarist holding out his palm and chewing his lower lip to keep his raging case of nerves in check. He gets it under control and offers a warm smile; the faintest blush comes over her cheeks, but she quickly cuts her eyes away from him to glance skyward. The sight of the moon and three stars gives her pause—but she lets Flash take her hand and voices a tiny giggle while playing with a lock of her hair. He pulls her close to himself, then lets her twirl across the open space.)

Same melody as in the fashion shop, but with a more prominent drum beat

Brisk 4 (E flat major)

(As she whirls past the camera, the view wipes behind her to a gym once again filled with happy dancing students.)

All six:        This is our big night

(Pan to Applejack and Macintosh getting down, then to a conga line that includes Pinkie and Rarity.)

                We made it happen, now let’s party all night

(Elsewhere, as the Crusaders groove, a multicolored flash whisks Scootaloo away.)

                We’re here now, and we worked so hard to make it come around

(Fright turns to elation when the youngster realizes that Rainbow has grabbed her up by the wrists. The athlete swings Scootaloo up onto her back and flashes past the disco ball, grazing it and throwing colored reflections everywhere.)

                To tonight, so let’s try to make it last forever

(On the floor, Twilight is dancing in a way that recalls her pony version’s herky-jerk attempts at the art form in “Sweet and Elite.”)

                The school lights so bright, beat is pumping through the night

                Party’s starting, DJ’s got the music just right

(Flash notices, to his befuddlement, that her moves have shifted distinctly toward the quadrupedal variety, but he just smiles and lets her keep doing her thing.)

All six:        Six friends on the way up now

(Cut to an extreme close-up of her beaming face and zoom out; he is now duplicating her style, and DJ P0N-3 is keeping busy at the turntables.)

F major

                Six friends here to show you how

(Photo beckons and lifts her camera, and six pony girls and one dragon dog gather in close. Rainbow has let go of Scootaloo.)

                This is our big night

(The flash fills the screen and clearsto show the picture. Zoom out slowly and rotate just a bit.)

                This is our big night

                This is our big night

(As they hold the last note, the view dissolves the six sharing a group hug on the lawn.)

Song ends

(The tableau breaks amid a babel of happy squeals and giggles, leaving Twilight holding Pinkie’s hands.)

Twilight: You’ll look out for her, won’t you?

(Cut to the ruined front entrance, where Sunset stands alone and rests her hands on the exposed, broken stonework.)

Rarity: (from o.s.) Of course we will. (Back to her and Twilight.) Although I do expect some sort of apology for last spring’s debacle.

Twilight: (from o.s.) I have a feeling she’ll be handing out a lot of apologies.

(Rarity’s words suggest that she was the one who got trounced by Sunset at the Spring Fling mentioned in Act Two. During this line, the camera zooms out slightly to frame a stern-faced Luna approaching from behind Sunset. The vice-principal produces a masonry trowel from behind her back and hands it over; pan quickly to her other side as she glances back. Here come a very penitent Snips and Snails, their humanity restored; Snips carries a trowel of his own, and Snails pushes a wheelbarrow full of bricks. These three have evidently drawn building-repair duty as punishment for trying to enslave the student body.)

(Cut to Spike at Twilight’s feet.)

Spike: We better get going.

Twilight: I know we’ve only been friends for a short time—

(During this line, cut to a slow pan across said friends, mingled happiness and sorrow on every face.)

Twilight: (from o.s.) —but I’m gonna miss all of you so much.

(Back to her. The smile stretched across her own cheeks has a quality that suggests she is only using it to keep from crying. She holds it for a long second or two, then lets it go with an exhalation from the bottom of her lungs and turns toward the school statue. As she walks slowly toward it with a more tranquil smile, Spike scurries up to keep pace.)

Spike: That crown really does suit you… (winking) …Princess Twilight.

Twilight: You know what, Spike? I am starting to feel a little more comfortable wearing it. (They stop at the portal.)

Spike: And the wings?

Twilight: (a bit snarky) I’ve been walking on two legs and picking things up with these!

(She holds up both hands, fingers splayed out, on that last word.)

Twilight: Wings? (They step a bit closer.) I’m thrilled that’s all I’ll be dealing with back in Equestria!

(Spike leaps through the magic surface and Twilight follows. A flash, and it is utterly untroubled again, the camera tilting up to frame the slowly drifting moon. Just as in Luna’s Act One demonstration, the shadow over it has drifted to the center to leave a bright ring and the entire moon moves to blot out one of the three stars around it. Dazzling rays shine out around the circumference, and the shadow fades away. On the lawn, the five friends Twilight has just left behind lose their ears, tails, and wings; the change catches Rainbow flat-footed, as she is hovering at the time and thumps heavily down to the grass. Pinkie runs toward the portal, hits it face first, and only succeeds in knocking herself back to the sidewalk. She lifts her head woozily as the other four gather around.)

Pinkie: (moaning sadly) Bummer!

*** From here on in, all characters appear as their normal pony selves. ***

(Dissolve to the room in the Crystal Castle that houses the magic mirror. Twilight’s five friends are waiting here nervously, along with Celestia and Cadence, with Rainbow pacing and the others sitting/standing/lying nearby. A whole lot of nothing happens for several seconds; then the looking-glass blazes white in close-up and a pair of violet rear hooves steps out. Tilt up to frame their owner in full—back in equine form and straining mightily to keep her balance on only those two limbs. Gravity finally wins out over learned behavior, and her front hooves come down safely on the floor. Smiles all around.)

Fluttershy: Twilight! (Rainbow flies over to her.)

Rainbow: Ah, you’re back! (Here comes Rarity.)

Rarity: You’ve got your crown! (A strangling hug from Pinkie.)

Pinkie: I knew you could do it! (Applejack wipes away tears in close-up.)

Applejack: Oh, we were so worried!

Celestia: (from o.s.) Sunset Shimmer. (Pan/zoom out slightly to frame her.) Is she all right?

Twilight: I think she’s going to be fine. (confidently) I left her in good hands. (Rainbow and Rarity trade a puzzled look.)

Rainbow: (shrugging) What are hands?

(Another flare from the mirror, and Spike comes flying out as if shot from a cannon. Restored to dragon form, he slams into Twilight’s rump and tumbles to the floor. Looking himself over to make sure this is genuine, he exchanges an ecstatic look with her. Dissolve to the Ponyville seven and Cadence walking along a corridor.)

Fluttershy: Where did you stay?

Rarity: What did they wear?

Pinkie: Did you have fun?

Applejack: What’d you eat? (Rainbow does a loop-the-loop overhead.)

Rainbow: Would you say she’s just as awesome as me? (Twilight sighs heavily.)

Twilight: I want to tell you everything, I do. But I’m just so exhausted from all the dancing.

Other mares, Cadence: Dancing?!?

(In close-up, the tuckered-out Princess runs flat into the chest of a yellow-tan, gold-armored guard, prompting a yelp from her and a grunt from him. When she looks up from her half-prone position, she finds the face of the stallion she ran into in the prologue, the eyes displaying a very familiar shade of vivid blue. Combined with the now-familiar male voice, this is enough to confirm that he is Flash’s pony counterpart.)

Flash: (helping her up, walking on) We’ve got to stop bumping into each other like this. (His passage earns approving glances from all the others.)

Twilight: (half-dazed, crossing to them) Who is that?

Cadence: He’s a new member of the castle guard. Flash Sentry, I think. Why? (a bit teasingly) Do you know him?

Twilight: (coyly) Not exactly. (She starts down the corridor, the others following.)

Applejack: Ooooh! Somepony’s got a crush on the new guy.

(Cut to Twilight during this line; Rarity catches up to her.)

Twilight: (hastily) No. No, I don’t. (She gets cut off.)

Rarity: (gasping) She does! (Twilight blushes.) She absolutely does!

Twilight: (pulling ahead) Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t even know him. (smiling nervously) He just— (Now Pinkie bounces up, circling her.)

Pinkie: (rapid fire) —totally reminds you of a guy you met in the other world who played guitar and was in a band and helped prove you didn’t destroy all the decorations for a big dance, so you could still run for Princess of the big dance, and then asked you to dance at that dance?

(During this line, the camera cuts back and forth between the two; both stop, the winged unicorn falling into hopeless confusion as she tries vainly to figure out how Pinkie could possibly be dead right in two worlds. The pink wacko finally stops to pull in a 55-gallon drum of air, the camera cutting to just behind her head.)

Pinkie: Right? (Twilight glances briefly at Spike; no help there.)

Twilight: How did you know that?

Pinkie: Just a hunch.

(Here comes a big squeaky grin, and here goes Pinkie, bouncing merrily off down the corridor. Two pegasi, one unicorn, one orange-tan earth pony, and one Crystal Princess look resignedly among themselves; pan to Twilight and Spike standing nearby. She rolls her eyes and smiles at this latest example of the bizarre wisdom that is Pinkie, then puts a foreleg around Spike’s shoulders. Both gaze calmly up toward the ceiling as the camera tilts up to follow. Dissolve to the exterior of the Crystal Castle, framed against a clear blue daytime sky, and tilt up to the light gleaming off its topmost spire. Fade to black.)

CLOSING CREDITS

Bouncy pop melody with backing vocal accent rhythm, fast 4 (D flat major)

A cappella for first line, then bass drum under the second

Vocals by Jerrica Santos

Santos:        A friend for life, that’s what you are to me

                A friend for life, that’s what you are to me

Light percussion and guitar; accent rhythm out; half-time feel under the lyrics

Santos:        I couldn’t see what was right there in front of me

                Turned my back and my mind off track, yeah

                You saw a world, there was something new entirely

                Helped me to see all the possibilities

Percussion builds; bass line in

                Oh, like a star in the daylight

Or like a diamond at night

                Your light was hidden

                From my sight

Original time with accents and full percussion; synthesizer in

Santos:        A friend for life, that’s what you are to me

                A friend for lif        e, that’s what you are to me

Bass/synth/guitar out; same feel as first verse, but original time continues

Santos:        Every friendship is tested

                You say you’re sincere, but it’s all unclear now

                But with a word, everything changes

                And just like that, you and I are right back

Percussion builds; guitar/bass in; half-time feel

                Oh, like a star in the daylight [star in the daylight]

Or like a diamond at night [diamond at night]

                The light will shine

                When the time is right

Original time with accents and full percussion; synth in

Santos:        A friend for life, that’s what you are to me

                A friend for life, that’s what you are to me

Half-time feel under lyrics; guitar/bass out

Santos:        When I put my hand out

                And I thought I would fall

                You knew what I needed

                And you came around to fix it all

Guitar/synth out; original time, a cappella, with vocal accent rhythm

Santos:        A friend for life, that’s what you are to me

Half-time bass drum in, transitioning to original time

                A friend for life, that’s what you are to me

All parts in

                A friend for life, that’s what you are to me, oh

[A star in the daylight]

                A friend for life, that’s what you are to me

[A diamond at night]

All parts out except vocal accents

Santos:        That’s what you are to me

Final note held as song ends

(Near the end of the credits, a human Derpy Hooves appears, dancing in place. Short-sleeved light violet blouse with darker trim at collar and cuffs, yellow necktie, green skirt, white belt, yellow-trimmed white socks with sandals—and, of course, crossed amber eyes and a muffin in her hands.)

MY LITTLE PONY: EQUESTRIA GIRLS—RAINBOW ROCKS

Prequel Shorts

Written by:

“Music to My Ears”                        Cindy Morrow

“Guitar Centered”                        Amy Keating Rogers

“Hamstocalypse Now”                Josh Haber

“Pinkie on the One”                        Josh Haber

“Player Piano”                        Amy Keating Rogers

“A Case for the Bass”                Natasha Levinger

“Shake Your Tail!”                        Amy Keating Rogers

“Perfect Day for Fun!”                Daniel Ingram, Amy Keating Rogers

Directed by Ishi Rudell

Transcribed by Alan Back (ajback@yahoo.com)

Notes:                These shorts all occur in the human world that served as the setting for the bulk of

                Equestria Girls, and all characters appear as their human versions.

                The above list is in chronological order by release date.

                Notes at the end of each transcript indicate details that carry over into Rainbow

Rocks; however, they have no effect on the plot.

Although the shorts are set chronologically before the film, this set of transcripts

and the one for the film can be read independently of each other without any loss of continuity or detail.

“Music to My Ears”

(Opening shot: fade to black from the title card, then in to a stoplight showing red during the day. The sounds of passing traffic and honking car horns float up from below, and the light goes green as a bird perches on the support bar and flits away again. Cut to a busy intersection, then to a close-up of two sneaker-clad feet stepping into view next to a streetlight’s base. The shoes are blue with white soles and laces, trim in light blue and bright pink, and a light blue star on each tongue. A tilt up frames the person attached to these feet as DJ P0N-3, headphones around neck and MP3 player in hand as she waits for a break in the traffic.)

(She glances off ahead of herself, the camera quickly swiveling 180 degrees to a pedestrian signal showing the red hand for “don’t walk.” Cut back to her, looking off to one side, and pan quickly to a crosswalk down the block where a car is rolling by. Now she smiles and puts on the headphones, the ambient noise instantly becoming muffled as if it were what she is now hearing. A tap at the player’s controls starts up a thumping electronic beat; as if responding to the rhythm, the light goes yellow and then red, and two cars stop at the crosswalk, one by one.)

(DJ P0N-3 bobs her head slightly, eyes closed and hand tapping against her hip, and the pedestrian signal changes to show the “walk” icon of a green man. Cut rapidly back and forth between it and her, each raising a foot to move ahead; finally she struts into the crosswalk, a small shock wave spreading out from each footfall. The music kicks into a higher gear as soon as she begins to move. She is reflected in the stopped cars’ windshields and front grilles, and the headlights and wipers go in time to the beat.)

(Extreme close-up of one violet sunglasses lens, zooming in slightly by steps as a jagged yellow sound wave signal briefly dances across, then back to her. Once she reaches the other side, the Cutie Mark Crusaders run straight toward her along the sidewalk, Scootaloo on her scooter. She grooves and twirls past them, then spots a policeman directing traffic whose arm movements mimic hers closely. Down comes a bird, swooping past her and up again with a worm clamped in its beak. Zoom in to an extreme close-up of one end, the invertebrate gyrating like a sound wave, then tilt down quickly to a nest that contains two baby birds. They squawk in rhythm, first one and then the other, when the full-grown one lands to dangle the worm above their heads.)

(Zoom out quickly to show this tableau on a building ledge that faces an alley. DJ P0N-3 makes her way past the area, after which the camera cuts to a close-up of a cat jumping onto a car’s roof. Another zoom out, and it yowls and jumps away as the car’s alarm goes off and the music lover strolls down the block. At the curb, it lands in front of a second cat and the two trade angry hisses in a fast rhythm. Next a dog barks several times, dragging its owner past her, and she bumps fists with a teen lounging near a doorway. He whips out a pair of sunglasses, puts them on, and ducks into the building as she stops at a crosswalk; the “don’t walk” signal soon changes in her favor, and the green man flips onto his head and does a breakdancing spin.)

(DJ P0N-3 goes on her way, sound waves briefly pulsing in her lenses above a blissful grin; the other end of the crosswalk puts her outside this world’s version of Sugarcube Corner. The sun umbrellas on two sidewalk tables open and close in a staggered rhythm as she pushes the front doors open. Cut to inside as she steps in, momentarily silhouetted by the light from outside; the music becomes greatly subdued at this point. The action shifts to slow motion, and the view takes on a faint violet tinge and ripples slightly, cutting/panning here and there. Of note: Diamond Tiara checking her cell phone as Silver Spoon sips a drink… DJ P0N-3 sashays past a table, leaving a faint blurred afterimage behind herself, as a girl seated there squirts honey into her tea from a bottle…extreme close-up of the viscous golden flow…she passes Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity at a couch and chair around a table, all of whom wave to her…and finally she reaches the counter and lowers her headphones. Throughout all of this, Pinkie stands out as waving to DJ P0N-3 at normal speed, rather than slow motion with everyone else.)

(Normal color and speed resume when the blue-haired teen steps up to the register, and the music instantly gives way to the usual noises of the shop when the headphones come down. Mrs. Cake is on duty.)

Mrs. Cake: What can I get you?

(A pointed finger is her cue to grab a cupcake with a pair of tongs and drop it into a bag; money is laid down, the snack is picked up, and DJ P0N-3 heads for the street. Once she has the doors open, she gets her headphones back in place and the pounding electronic rhythm resumes. After the doors swing closed behind her, zoom in quickly to an extreme close-up of the handles, then cut to an extreme close-up of a different set and zoom out just as quickly. These are kicked open from the other side to reveal her silhouette and frame, in the background, the rearing-horse statue on the front lawn of Canterlot High School—she has arrived for class. The cupcake and bag have been disposed of.)

(As DJ P0N-3 struts across the lobby, the overhead lights pulse in time and the violet-tinged view resumes. Two students fall in behind her to either side, synchronizing their footsteps with hers, and a classroom door opens to reveal an irritable-looking male teacher who jerks a thumb over his shoulder to motion them inside. His hairstyle is a match for the dark toupee first worn by Cranky Doodle Donkey in “A Friend in Deed,” picking him out as that old jack’s human opposite number. The other two mosey in as DJ P0N-3 continues past; now three lockers are slammed shut, one by one, and she lets the sound wave play across her shades for a moment. Cut/pan to other activities: an athlete girl trying to shove a gym bag into her locker…one eco-kid goofing with a hacky sack as another applauds…Featherweight grinning over his calculator.)

(Cut to a darkened enclosure, the scattered books suggesting the interior of a locker. A door swings open—it is DJ P0N-3’s, and she grabs a book and slams the locker shut, the motion depicted in a quick series of freeze frames timed to a stutter in the music. Out in the hall, she dances in place for a moment before the school bell rings and everyone around her runs into the classrooms. Normal color resumes here, and the music instantly becomes almost inaudible as if being heard by someone not wearing the headphones.)

(She grooves backwards down the hall, alone and in the beat, and thus does not notice right away that a thoroughly disapproving Principal Celestia has planted herself in the path. DJ P0N-3 runs into the official, the headphones falling to her neck and going silent, and wheels to face front with an embarrassed grin. Celestia gives her a “hand them over” gesture, and she reluctantly surrenders the gear.)

(DJ P0N-3 hurries off down the hall at the emphatic pointing of Celestia’s free hand, but slows a bit to watch her head the other way toward a corner. Once the principal has made the turn, she stops, pulls out a set of small earphones, and socks them into her ears. The violet tinge resumes, along with the music, the sound wave on her lenses—and an ear-to-ear smile under a shrewdly cocked eyebrow. Zoom in by steps to an extreme close-up of that jittering yellow line, then snap to black.)

[Note: She will retain her sneakers during Rainbow Rocks.]

“Guitar Centered”

(Opening shot: fade to black from the title card, then in to DJ P0N-3 at a cash register behind a store display counter, listening to her MP3 player and doing nothing of importance. The headphones that Celestia confiscated from her at the end of “Music to My Ears” have been returned. Instruments and gear on the shelves behind her indicate that this is a music store. Zoom out.)

Rarity: (from o.s., affronted) Rainbow Dash!

(These two girls come into view, entering the store and followed by Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie. Rainbow carries a guitar case, and DJ P0N-3 stows the player under the counter.)

Rarity: I simply don’t understand why you can’t just play the guitar you have.

(The latter’s response is to set the case on the counter and open it. A close-up and zoom in show that the electric guitar inside is a wreck: scratches and nicks all over the body, one broken string, and a neck so badly cracked that the tension of the remaining strings has bent the end up. Another one chooses this moment to give up the ghost, prompting a gasp from Rarity.)

Rarity: Now I understand. (Pinkie zips into view behind them, holding up a blue one with black tiger stripes.)

Pinkie: How about this one?

Rainbow: No.

(Close-up of a banjo being held up in the pink hands.)

Pinkie: (from o.s.) Looky here!

Rainbow: (from o.s.) No. (Pull it away; hold up a sousaphone.)

Pinkie: (from o.s.) Super-groovy! (Back to the others at the counter.)

Rainbow: (exasperated) No, Pinkie.

Applejack: Well, what you lookin’ for?

Rainbow: That’s the problem. (pacing, smacking fist into palm) I need something that looks as awesome as I’m gonna make it sound.

(Feet stop short, eyes bug out, lungs suck in an incredulous gasp, and the camera cuts to her perspective and zooms in. Hanging vertically on the wall, directly in front of her, is a shiny red double-neck model with stars and lightning bolts adorning the body. Back to her briefly, the reflection shining in her pupils as she reaches forward, then to an extreme close-up of her hand grasping one neck. A very short pan brings the other neck into view, a differently hued blue hand taking hold of it, and the camera zooms out to frame its owner—Trixie. The two girls pull the guitar down from its mount and yank it back and forth in time with the next two lines.)

Rainbow: Hands off my guitar, Trixie!

Trixie: I touched it first, Rainbow Dash!

(On the start of the next line, cut to the other four girls, who have crossed the showroom floor to scope out the tussle.)

Applejack: Sounds to me like this is the makin’ for a nice friendly competition.

Rainbow: All right! Let’s see who plays best. (Close-up of Trixie, eyes narrowing.)

Trixie: A shred-off? (Now one of Rainbow.)

Rainbow: Shred on!

(The view briefly constricts to a narrow band that frames her eyes as she says this, then changes to fill the screen again. As soon as Rainbow lifts one open hand overhead, Pinkie hangs down into view with a light gray/white guitar for her to grab by the neck, then rises o.s. again. The sports nut lets go with a grinding riff, which Trixie counters with one of her own on a “Flying V” instrument she has picked up in the meantime. They trade figures again, the screen splitting diagonally for a moment to show both determined faces—Rainbow at top left, Trixie at bottom right—and all twenty fingers race across the strings.)

(The duel continues, with the background behind each girl now a single solid color—blue for Rainbow, purple for Trixie. The camera cuts to the latter and zooms in for a close-up, which turns into a three-way horizontal split screen: guitar head at top, her eyes in the middle, guitar neck/body at bottom. Her playing generates a sound wave that pushes Rainbow back a few steps, but the wild-haired instrumentalist just grimaces and strikes a new series of chords that sets off quite a change. Yellow energy crackles all over both her body and the guitar, her eyes glowing pure white, and the pony ears she sported during the final showdown against Sunset Shimmer in Equestria Girls manifest themselves. In addition, the guitar body and head turn a vivid shade of blue, and the neck goes red with yellow lightning bolts between the frets.)

(Trixie’s jaw drops at the sight, but Rainbow floats higher and higher as her hair elongates into a tail and wings sprout from her back to complete the transformation. She plunges downward while playing a final high-speed riff, one leg extended for a stomp, and hits the floor in a kneeling position. Out comes a rainbow-hued shock wave not unlike the one produced by her pony self when doing a Sonic Rainboom; it pushes Trixie back and throws up a dense cloud of dust.)

(As the view clears, the figures of the five friends gradually appear; the energy that surrounded Rainbow has dissipated. She grins up at their dumbstruck expressions and drinks in the round of cheers and applause that they send her way. Across the showroom, Trixie has lost her guitar and fetched up among the tumbled components of a drum kit; it takes her a second to recover her senses after pushing a loose snare away from her face. Rainbow stands up with the guitar as DJ P0N-3 walks over, carrying the double-neck.)

Rainbow: Check me out!

(She reaches to claim her prize, but pulls her hand back in hesitation and looks down at the one she has just played so well. Cut to her perspective, panning slowly from head to body as she tilts it to catch her reflection in the lustrous surface, then back to her.)

Rainbow: Uh, she can have it. (smiling, hugging guitar) Turns out this is the one that really speaks to me.

(Trixie stares across at her, jaw hanging slack, but returns to full ham mode as DJ P0N-3 crosses with the double-neck, no longer wearing her headphones.)

Trixie: (grabbing it away, holding it up) The Great and Powerful Trixie always wins in the end! (Giggle; Rainbow walks past her.)

Rainbow: (smugly) I doubt it.

(The violet eyes pop wide open at this crack; up at the counter, DJ P0N-3 is back behind the register. Rainbow walks up and hands over some cash, and the group is soon on the way out the door. Trixie glances down at the instrument she now holds; cut to a close-up of the price tag on the back, showing a one and a two and a comma and three zeros, then to her again—now absolutely dumbfounded at the figure.)

Trixie: Twelve thousand dollars?!? (Grimace, then point indignantly out the door.) You’ll pay for this, Rainbow Dash! (Pinkie pokes her head back into the store.)

Pinkie: No, silly. If you want it, you’ll have to pay for it.

(She winks to the camera. “Iris out” around her to black.)

[Note: Rainbow’s guitar will retain its blue/red color scheme throughout all subsequent shorts and Rainbow Rocks.]

“Hamstocalypse Now”

(Opening shot: fade to black from the title card, then in to a close-up of a wall light switch next to a door in a dimly lit room. The door opens and a hand reaches into view to turn on the lights; cut to a longer shot of the area, which includes a receptionist’s counter off to one side. The hand belongs to Fluttershy, and she and Rarity enter with their backpacks slung up. On the floor is a pet carrier with a covered birdcage resting on top. These items, and a basket full of blankets that serves as a bed for a puppy and kitten, indicate that the place is geared toward the care of animals.)

Fluttershy: Thanks for coming, Rarity.

(Close-up of the counter as the two packs are set down on it—yellow with three pink butterflies for Fluttershy, purple with three blue gems for Rarity—then cut back to the girls on the start of the next line.)

Fluttershy: The rescue center needs all the help it can get. (She crosses o.s.)

Rarity: (kneeling, petting puppy) Oh, but of course, darling. (lifting/nuzzling kitten, standing) Helping cute little puppies and kitties will never go out of style.

(Across the way, Fluttershy has come to a large, glass-walled enclosure in one corner. A door leads into a maze of translucent, multicolored tubing pieces and a cage equipped with a hamster wheel. Even from this distance, plenty of stains and splotches can be seen within the brightly hued plastic.)

Fluttershy: (excitedly, opening door) Once a year, a lucky volunteer gets to clean the hamster habitat. I signed up for it months ago to be sure I’d get it.

(On the latter part of the first sentence, cut to a close-up of the assembly and pan/tilt slowly through the filth that can now be seen in all-too-vivid detail. One or two of the little critters are crawling around inside. Cut back to her on the end of this line; she steps to a hatch and opens it as a noticeably unsettled Rarity reluctantly moves closer, having put down the kitten.)

Fluttershy: (calling into tube) Housecleaning!

Rarity: Ooh…uh, Fluttershy, darling…

(Cut to a close-up of a couple of hamsters negotiating a turn in the pipes.)

Rarity: (from o.s.) …aren’t hamsters, uh… (whispering) …rodents? (Fluttershy, kneeling, opens a hatch at floor level.)

Fluttershy: They sure are, but they’re cute and cuddly like bunnies.

(On this line, one of them peeks out and the camera cuts to a close-up of it sniffing the air and slowly emerging. Others soon follow suit.)

Fluttershy: Okay, every-hamster. Follow Rarity into the next room. (leading them out as Rarity cringes out the door) She’ll take good care of you while I give your home a nice scrub.

(The prissy teenager forces herself to give a small smile. Dissolve to Fluttershy plying a cloth on part of the habitat and zoom out to show that the whole rig is now squeaky clean; a bucket of soapy water stands on the floor by her feet. She straightens up and smiles at the end result of her efforts, but a loud pounding from o.s. shakes her out of this self-satisfaction. Cut to the source of the noise: Rarity, seen from inside and banging on the glass in a panic. She backs cautiously away before a salvo of very tiny articles of clothing that are flung up from below; cut to just outside the enclosure door as Fluttershy opens it and steps out, instantly registering shock.)

Fluttershy: Rarity!

(Zoom out quickly to frame more of the room. Hamsters are all over the floor, most of them wearing at least one item and arguing at the top of their squeaky little voices. One is even riding the kitten and twirling a lasso like a cowboy. Rarity is too scared to move amid the tumult or the scatter of other items that litter the floor.)

Fluttershy: What happened?

Rarity: Ooh… (Frightened squeal; jitter in place.) …well, uh…

(She picks up one rodent dressed in a jacket and tie.)

Rarity: …Carl Pettington’s coat just begged to be accessorized. But Amelia Furheart refused to be left out—

(Accompanied by the following. A close-up of this hamster, trying to shake loose; a cut back to her, grabbing up a second one in her other hand; a close-up of it, in a wig, dress, and high heels and blowing a raspberry at the first. The camera then pans quickly to the receptionist’s counter, where several have backed fearfully away from a beefy one chewing on a scarf, which it then imperiously wraps around its neck.)

Rarity: (from o.s.) —and got Curtis Pawpower to chew right through Carl’s little scarf, and before I knew it—

(Back to the scene of the madness.)

Rarity: —I had a habitat-wide feud on my hands! (Pause.) Also, I named them. (The squabbles continue; Fluttershy addresses the floor.)

Fluttershy: Ladies and gentle-hamsters, please!

(Close-up of one pulling at another’s vest on the end of this; they calm down, and the rest of the crowd slowly falls silent.)

Fluttershy: Now I know you’re all upset— (Rarity crosses to her, holding the first two—Carl and Amelia.) —but why don’t we head back into the habitat and talk it over?

(Close-up of the two critters on the end of this; Carl puckers up as if to kiss Amelia, only to get his tie ripped off instead. The brouhaha starts all over again, prompting a gasp from both girls, and Rarity dashes across to empty her backpack onto the counter. The menacing Curtis and a couple of his would-be victims squeal and clear out ahead of her advancing shadow; here she comes, swinging the open bag low to scoop him up into it. As Fluttershy dumps out her own pack, a tambourine falls free, rolling across the countertop and falling to the floor; it rolls a bit farther before dropping onto its side. The sound of its agitated jingles instantly pacifies and hypnotizes the little guys, and Fluttershy picks it up and begins to play, shaking and striking it against hand and hip. The mesmerized spiral in the hamsters’ eyes plays briefly across the whole screen as they begin to move toward her, totally stupefied.)

(One deft toss carries the tambourine almost to the ceiling; when the animal lover leaps to catch it in an upraised hand, her pony ears, wings, and tail come into being as a sparkly glow outlines her physique. She floats gently back down to ground level, shaking out a quiet rhythm as the aura dissipates and Rarity crosses to her with backpack still in hand. The hamsters move single file to re-enter the habitat’s floor hatch; once they are all in, she closes the door.)

Rarity: Huh. I never would have guessed hamsters could be so touchy about fashion.

(Zoom in quickly to an extreme close-up of the bag, from which Curtis smugly pokes his head out to snap his fingers three times while moving that forelimb in a Z pattern. Fade to black.)

“Pinkie on the One”

(Opening shot: fade to black from the title card, then in to Pinkie and Granny Smith in a room of Canterlot High. The lunch lady holds a bowl of batter in one arm and lifts a wooden spoon to it. Mixers on the countertop, and the cabinets mounted above, suggest that this is a home economics classroom.)

Granny: Just remember. (stirring) The most important things about sugar-butter-cocoa cookies is to fold your batter. (She passes the bowl to Pinkie.) Too much arm-turnin’ll make your cookies tougher than a lump of coal.

(She winks on the end of this, then walks away as Pinkie drops the bowl onto the table in front of her. A quick one-handed twirl of the spoon, and she is ready to start working the batter. Enter Rainbow.)

Rainbow: Come on, Pinkie. You’re supposed to help me find a drummer for my band. (Cut to Pinkie on the end of this, folding merrily away.)

Pinkie: I guess I could fold a little faster.

(A careless flick of the spoon sends a glob in Rainbow’s direction, after which she thinks for a second and then grins as a brainstorm hits. She quickly ducks down and starts rooting through the cabinets underneath the countertop, sending kitchen implements flying past Rainbow.)

Rainbow: Most people don’t know how hard it is to find someone who can use both hands the way a drummer does.

(Back to Pinkie on the second half of this; she has procured a second full bowl and spoon and starts mixing both at once.)

Pinkie: (lifting them off table, still stirring) I’ll bet!

(Now the spoons fly even faster, and the bowls sail up and over her head to barely miss one another in close-up. They fall o.s., a loud crash and splat marking their touchdown; cut to Granny, who glances back from a cabinet of supplies. Her eyes pop in surprise, and she manages a strangled cry of shock; across the room, one bowl lies on the table, the other upside down on Rainbow’s head. Both she and Pinkie are thoroughly splattered with the sweet stuff. Pinkie gives a big, squeaky, sheepish grin as Rainbow glares and growls at her.)

(Dissolve to a long shot of the pair, cleaned up and on the sidelines of the school soccer field, with a banner spread out on the grass. It is daytime, and a player jogs past in the foreground. As Rainbow speaks, cut to a close-up of her and Pinkie. The cloth is blank and white, weighted down with rocks at the corners, and a couple of small cans of paint are on hand, with Rainbow holding a brush.)

Rainbow: Now, it’s important that our banner look awesome. (dipping into can, starting to paint) So feel free to use as much glitter as you want.

(Pinkie looks off to one side, beams, and zips away. As the athlete continues, she returns just as quickly with a large shaker can.)

Rainbow: A drummer can’t just be anybody.

Pinkie: Oh, of course not!

(She inverts the container and begins to tap on its closed end with a palm, dispensing puffs of purple glitter from the holes in the lid. A couple of individual taps quickly transition into a rhythm of quick strokes, the can gripped under one arm as if it were a hand drum. Rainbow pays no mind.)

Rainbow: They need to have the right instincts, you know?

Pinkie: Totally!

(Pivoting in place, she faces away from Rainbow and aims the lid toward her, gripping the can between her knees. Only now does the wild-haired painter glance up to take in the spectacle of Pinkie dispensing both flurries of beats and clouds of glitter. One last thump produces enough of the sparkly particles to completely fill the screen; when the haze clears, the view has shifted to a close-up of Rainbow, irate and tinted purple from top to toe. Zoom out as she coughs up a little bit and glares daggers at an innocently smiling Pinkie, who has set the can on the banner upside down and knelt behind it, elbows on the bottom and head resting on palms. The banner—and several square feet of surrounding turf—are liberally covered with glitter, but Pinkie herself is entirely clean.)

(Dissolve to the cafeteria during lunch. Applejack, Pinkie, Rainbow, and Rarity are eating together, Applejack and Rarity across from the other two. Rainbow is once again clean.)

Rainbow: It’s gotta be someone with a lot of… (Close-up of the table; Pinkie squirts syrup from a bottle into her glass of milk.) …energy.

Pinkie: (stirring) Absolutely!

(Once she has the syrup mixed in, she regards her spoon with a big smile and begins tapping out a fast rhythm against the rim of the glass. The fork is soon brought into play, but as before, Rainbow is oblivious.)

Rainbow: I mean, a lot.

(By now, Pinkie is on her feet and really getting into the impromptu percussion performance.)

Rainbow: Energy, enthusiasm…

(Which the magenta-haired goofball shows off by banging the table hard enough to shake all four girls’ trays out of place. Applejack makes a snatch to save her sandwich and milk, then kneels on the table to grab the ends of Pinkie’s utensils.)

Applejack: Pinkie!

Pinkie: Whaaaat?

(She goes right back to it as soon as Applejack lets go, then zips away from her seat.)

Rainbow: They have to be able to carry the whole band on their shoulders.

(Now Pinkie taps her way along the table’s edge, working her way up Rainbow’s left side, across her head, and down the right without missing a beat.)

Rainbow: (growling after her, standing up) PINKIE!

(Cut to the other side; Pinkie keeps going between Applejack—now seated again—and Rarity.)

Rarity: We have got to find an outlet for all that energy!

(During this line, the fork and spoon tap against the table, both girls’ trays, and their heads. Cut to Rainbow, whose fed-up expression shifts into a popeyed stare and then a huge grin as the camera zooms into an extreme close-up—inspiration has struck. From here, cut to Pinkie seated behind a drum kit and pounding away with gusto, the camera zooming out to frame the treble clef and musical notes on the wall behind her. This is evidently a practice room, and the kit’s bass drum displays a horseshoe with rainbow fire and stars shooting from its open end. The other three girls, now joined by Fluttershy, marvel at the speed with which her sticks range over the whole kit.)

(As she keeps cranking out faster and faster riffs, her entire body starts to sparkle and her pony ears emerge from underneath the mass of fluffy hair. The sparkle turns into a glow, and she rises partway off the stool as her hair extends into its long, tied-back tail to complete her half-pony transformation. Cut to a pan along the other four, who voice assorted exclamations of surprise, then back to the kit. One final twirl, one last turbocharged burst of strokes, and Pinkie lands back on the stool to hit both cymbals at once. The magic fades away, leaving her half-crazed, panting for breath, and with hair noticeably disheveled.)

Rarity: (to Rainbow) Whatever made you think of Pinkie for the drums?

Rainbow: I don’t know. Guess I just have a sense for these things.

(Pinkie plays a sting and grins broadly. Fade to black.)

“Player Piano”

(Opening shot: fade to black from the title card, then in to the front lawn of Canterlot High during the day. As students congregate at the front lawn statue and walk along the street, Rarity struggles mightily to push a grand piano along the walkway toward the school. Long scrapes on the concrete tell of her progress so far, which is painfully slow. Finally she stops to catch her breath, the camera cutting to a close-up that frames her badly disordered hair and the sweat running down her face.)

Rarity: Come on, Rarity! You simply must get this piano to band practice! (Another couple of heaves.) What kind of person doesn’t put a piano on wheels?

(On her next attempt, with her back against the instrument, she loses her grip and slides to the ground. She gets up with a piteous little whine.)

Rarity: (dusting herself off) Just look at me! I’m a mess.

(Cut to her perspective, panning across the grassy area near the front entrance. On the next line, the camera passes a trio of gray-skinned boys, one of whom is digging a hole with a shovel, then back-pedals and zooms in to a close-up. The vests, heights and builds, beady eyes with yellowed whites, and jeweled collars around the three necks mark them as human counterparts of the Diamond Dogs who figured in “A Dog and Pony Show.” A bowl filled with rocks sits on the ground nearby.)

Rarity: What I need is a bit more muscle! (Back to her; she calls to them, all come-hither.) Oh, boys…

(They look up to find her patting her hair back into place and aiming her most alluring smile at them. All three faces break into ear-to-ear grins, and all six pupils become blue lozenge-shaped gems that match the ones on her skirt. Wipe to a close-up of Rarity, framed from the shoulders up and moving down a school hall.)

Rarity: I simply cannot thank you enough.

(A longer shot reveals that she is now sitting on top of the piano, which is being carried by the straining Dogs.)

Rarity: And while I am a bit repulsed by your musky smell— (They smile up at her.) —I can appreciate that you are diamonds in the rough.

(The boys stop in their tracks, finding a dense crowd of students stretching all the way to the end of the hall, then proceed to bulldoze their way straight through. Teens go flying every which way as discordant random notes sound off due to the contact of bodies against piano keys.)

Rarity: Excuse me…Pardon me…Excuse me… (Head-on view of the crowd, she is carried toward the camera.) …Thank you!

(Fade to black as the face of the lead Dog fills the screen.)

(Snap to the practice room. Applejack sits on the risers at one side, a bass guitar in her lap—golden brown body shading to darker brown near the edges, with a light tan border. Fluttershy stands nearby, looking over sheet music on a stand; Pinkie sits on a bench, tapping idly at a snare drum. Rainbow stares at a wall clock for a few seconds, guitar slung up, then turns away from it with an irritated groan.)

Rainbow: Where is Rarity?

Applejack: That gal prob’ly just wants to make some sorta grand entrance.

(The doors burst open and the Dogs push the piano inside.)

Rarity: Ta-da!

Applejack: Told you.

Rainbow: Rarity— (Who hops down and brushes dust from her hands.) —couldn’t you have chosen a more portable instrument?

Rarity: Heavens, no. (walking back to piano) The grand piano is the most refined and elegant of instruments. (Chord.) With it, I will be able to express my full musicality.

(Before she can get her fingers onto the keys to make her point, the ringing of a kitchen timer cuts her off. Cut to a close-up of it in Pinkie’s hand, then zoom out to frame both her and Rainbow on the start of the next line. The drummer is now standing by a shelf, and the guitarist has returned her instrument to its case and is holding it.)

Rainbow: Well, our time’s up. (Pinkie tucks the timer away in her hair.) I guess we’ll have to move our practice to the gym.

Applejack: (to Rarity) Guess you’re gonna express your “full musicality” clear across campus. (She makes air quotes on “full musicality.”)

Rarity: Huh?! (Dejected moan; Pinkie jumps up to sit on the lid.)

Pinkie: Or… (holding up a keytar) …you could play this!

(Close-up of it, panning slowly from the keyboard portion to the controls on the neck.)

Pinkie: (from o.s.) It’s part guitar, part keyboard. (Cut to her, with Rainbow in the background.) It’s a guitar-key! (Focus shifts to Rainbow.)

Rainbow: You mean a keytar. (Back to Pinkie.)

Pinkie: (shrugging) Po-tay-to, to-mah-to…

(Rarity takes hold of the instrument and begins to play a funky line.)

Rarity: Ooh! Ooh! Oh, my!

(As the Dogs watch entranced from the sidelines and the other girls gather around, she adds a lower harmony and twirls in place, her fingers now flying over the keys. A drum part comes in at this point. Shafts of golden light radiate out from under her touch, and a sparkly glow envelops her form to lift her clear of the ground. Her pony ears manifest themselves, then her tail, and now she is all the way into the groove. The others watch from the floor, having put their instruments aside. The next two lines overlap.)

Applejack: Will you look at that!

Rainbow: Cool!

(Rarity lands on the piano and slides across its lid on her knees to finish the solo, the corona fading away to nothing. The next two lines also overlap.)

Pinkie: Wowee!

Fluttershy: Oh, my goodness!

Applejack: Well, then. How ’bout you take that keytar and move your tail to our next rehearsal space?

Rarity: (rolling eyes) Fine, fine. (addressing herself o.s.) I don’t suppose…

(Cut to the Dogs on the receiving end of this last; they grin, nod, and zip to it, and the other girls can only stare in confusion as Rarity and the piano are carried out of the practice room. She whips off one last run of notes before the view fades to black.)

“A Case for the Bass”

(Opening shot: fade to black from the title card, then in to the exterior of a farmhouse and separate barn during the day, with assorted items spread out on tables and a rug. A yard sale is in progress, and the apples painted onto both structures mark the property as this world’s equivalent of Sweet Apple Acres. The driveway leading from the curb to the barn indicates that it does double duty as a garage. A couple of teens are looking over the wares, and Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Rainbow, and Rarity are gathered around Granny, seated behind the central table. Zoom in slowly.)

Applejack: (wearily) Okay, Granny, one more time. (Close-up of the group; Granny puts money into a cash box.) When you accidentally sold my bass at the garage sale—

(She closes the box; cut to a close-up of the family matriarch.)

Applejack: (from o.s.) —who did you sell it to? (Granny thinks hard for a second.)

Granny: Yeah, I—I sold it to the owners of that new pawn shop, uh…uh, Flibbity-Flabbity, somethin’ like that.

(Dissolve to a close-up of a bell hanging above a closed door, seen from inside. It rings to mark an entrance; after the door closes, cut to the five girls now inside this place. Around them is a diversity of price-tagged items—this can only be the aforementioned pawn shop—and they look around with varied excitement, skepticism, and unease. All ten eyes pop wide open just before the camera zooms out to stop behind the heads of two men in blue/white-striped vests, white shirts, and dark gray bow ties. Their carefully styled red hair is streaked with white, and one man has a mustache—the human version of the Flim Flam Brothers. Flim, the clean-shaven one, speaks up; on the start of the next line, cut to a head-on view of the pair. The shirt sleeves are rolled up, and both wear white pants, gold-buckled belts, and two-tone shoes. Red belt and blue/white shoes for Flim, dark gray belt and red-white shoes for Flam. In addition, each wears a pin on his vest that matches his pony self’s cutie mark; Flim has a single apple slice, Flam an apple with one slice cut out. They do not wear the boater hats favored by their counterparts.)

Flim: Welcome to the grand opening of the Flim Flam Brothers’ Everything-Under-the-Sun Emporium!

Flam: If you want it… (Flim jumps into his arms…)

Flim, Flam: …we’ve got it!

(…then zips away. On the following lines, each speaker quickly procures and demonstrates/shows off the named item.)

Flim: Need a pogo stick?

Flam: A bowling ball?

Flim: A stuffed clown?

Flam: Whatever this is!

(“This” happens to be a metal helmet studded with lights and wired to a control unit.)

Applejack: (gesturing off to one side) I’d like that bass.

(Quick pan to her bass, on display with a keyboard and saxophone under a glittering disco ball. Flim quickly grabs it up as Flam tosses the helmet aside.)

Flim: I can give you this bass for a non-negotiable price of one thousand dollars. (Applejack is floored, Rarity indignant.)

Rarity: Why, you only paid Granny Smith two dollars for it!

Flim: (passing it to Flam) Yes, well, we have to cover our overhead and transportation costs.

Applejack: Listen. Granny never shoulda sold my bass. I’ll give you the two dollars back and we’ll call it even.

(Cut briefly to the fraternal hucksters on the end of this, then back to the girls. Applejack holds up the money as the others voice agreement.)

Flim, Flam: Likely story! (By now, Flim has taken the bass from Flam.)

Applejack: It is! That’s my bass!

Flim: (holding it up) And can you prove that this is in fact your bass?

Rarity: Her initials are monogrammed right on the strap!

(Back to the brothers during this line; Flam bends down for a closer look, and the camera zooms in quickly to an extreme close-up. Sure enough, a gold “A.J.” is stamped onto the leather. Cut to Flam, straightening up.)

Flam: That could mean anything! It could stand for… (Pan to Flim.)

Flim: …Aardvark Junior! (To Flam, popping up by Rarity.)

Flam: Anvil Jokers! (To Flim, leaning toward Fluttershy.)

Flim: Or Animal Jane!

Flam: Why, I’ll bet you don’t even play the bass, Applejack… (Cut to her, disbelieving, on this last; now he gets in her face.) …if that is your real name.

(She backs off just in time for Rainbow to take her place and back the mustachioed man down.)

Rainbow: Of course that’s her real name! (Pan quickly to Pinkie riding a rocking horse.)

Pinkie: And she does play the bass!

(The farm girl takes advantage of the momentary distraction to get it out of Flim’s grip and sling it up. Right fingers dance across the strings while the left ones race up and down the neck, cranking out a solo that would make any veteran bassist sit up and take notice and throwing out faint sound waves. Beaming smiles take hold on the faces of Fluttershy and Rainbow as she works her way up to a higher register; on the other hand, Flim and Flam look as if someone has just hit them upside the head with a two-by-four. One last attack on the strings turns the whole background red, leaving her visible only as a silhouette on which her pony ears and long tail-like braid appear. In addition, new white-glowing features appear on the body and neck of her bass and pulses of blue energy radiate in all directions.)

(Cut to Flim and Flam, in danger of having their faces and hair peeled off by the sonic blast. Normal color has resumed over here; when the view cuts back to Applejack and company, the red hue fades away here as well. The alterations to her instrument can now be seen in full detail: two F-shaped sound holes on the body, one above and one below the strings; an apple and decorative etching on the body; small apples between the frets. The other four stare incredulously for a moment before breaking into wild cheers.)

Flim: (cautiously) Perhaps this is her bass.

(And its owner smugly proffers the two dollars once again—but Flim just shakes his hair back into place and some sense back into himself, resuming in his usual fast-talking manner. As he speaks, Flam sorts out his own coiffure and straightens his mustache.)

Flim: But there are still the transportation costs and overhead.

Flam: Don’t forget the stocking fees! (Flim throws an arm across his shoulders.)

Flim: Wouldn’t dream of it, brother!

(Cut to a crestfallen Applejack; she sighs and drops her head, but the other four lean over in front of her, ready to throw some hands and/or very harsh words. The sight of such rancor—and the sound of a low growl from Rainbow’s throat—prompt the brothers to do a bit of very fast rethinking.)

Flam: Then again, I suppose we could make some sort of trade?

(Close-up of Applejack on this last word; she brightens considerably at the suggestion. From here, dissolve to a close-up of her—tired, out of sorts, and wearing some sort of tall yellow costume that extends above her head. Her half-pony transformation has been undone, and a slow walking bass line is heard. Zoom out as she speaks, revealing that she is wearing a banana suit over her usual clothes and playing on the sidewalk outside the pawn shop. Her cowboy hat hangs from the suit’s stem on the upper end. Granny shuffles slowly toward her, passing under the gaudy lights and stars that adorn the marquee above the entrance.)

Applejack: (woodenly, loudly) Come on down to the grand openin’ of the Flim Flam Brothers’ Everythin’-Under-the-Sun Emporium! (Granny stops short.)

Granny: Since when do you play the bass?

(Her granddaughter plays a quick flurry of notes, then claps a hand to her face in disgust. Snap to black.)

“Shake Your Tail!”

Note:                The song in this short is the same as the one performed by the Rainbooms

during the first round of the Battle of the Bands, in Act Two of Rainbow Rocks.

Quiet electric guitar melody, fast 4, with bass drum/tambourine on 2 and 4 (D major)

(Opening shot: fade to black from the title card, then in to the closed doors of the Canterlot High gymnasium, seen from inside. They swing open to admit Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Rainbow, and Rarity, who survey the expanse of open floor and stage space. Twilight is carrying a clipboard.)

All six:                We’ve just got the day to get ready

                        And there’s only so much time to lose

(Various thoughts run through the six heads, and Rarity uses her thumbs and forefingers to frame something in the distance and looks through them with one eye squeezed shut.)

                        Because tonight, yeah, we’re here to party

                        So let’s think of something fun to do

Synthesizer, bass, additional percussion in; tambourine out; intensity builds

Background lyrics in square brackets

(Pinkie runs across with an armload of flowers, some of which tumble loose to fill the screen. As they drift past, the view behind them wipes to show the other five dressed in flowers, leis, grass skirts, and sleeveless tops for a luau. They seem caught out at the quick change, which turns out to include a complete Hawaiian setting behind them when the camera zooms out. Twilight has been relieved of her clipboard. Pinkie emerges from the grass-hut backdrop, attired as the others and playing a ukulele.)

All six:                We don’t know [we don’t know] what’s gonna happen

(She gets a bit too wild with her dance, knocking over the scenery; a round of unhappy shrugs, and she gives one of her own with a big silly grin.)

                        We just know [we just know] it’s gonna feel right

(Rainbow leans into view in the fore to blow a whistle; zoom out to frame a row of soccer balls on the floor and an archery target off to one side. She and Applejack are back in their normal clothes, as everyone else will be when next seen, and Applejack looks uncertainly at the basketball she holds. Across the way, Fluttershy and Rarity—in front of a soccer goal—get the cake and tray of drinks the hold thoroughly disrupted by a sudden barrage of goal shots. Twilight and Pinkie run flat into each other and fall to the floor while trying to catch the basketball—which bounces into the punchbowl. Applejack grabs a second one out of Rainbow’s grip and emphatically shakes her head no.)

                        All our friends are here, and it’s time to ignite the lights

Tambourine and full percussion in

(Cut to a microphone on a stand. Rainbow leans into view to sing, Twilight pops up with one of her own, and Rarity joins at one on a separate stand. Rainbow and Rarity have their instruments, and Pinkie, then Applejack, and finally Fluttershy get theirs working. All six are dressed in glittery outfits and are sporting their pony ears/tails/wings, with rainbow streaks of various colors in the extended hair. In addition, each girl has a single symbol from her cutie mark stenciled around one eye, with Rainbow showing only the lightning bolt from hers.)

All six:                Shake your tail, ’cause we’re here to have a party tonight        

                        [Shake your tail, shake your tail]

(Cut to a pan through a gym full of grooving students, then to DJ P0N-3 working her turntables under the scattered light spots thrown by an o.s. disco ball, then back to the band.)

                        Shake your tail, ’cause we’re here to have a party tonight        

                        [Shake your tail, shake your tail]