MY LITTLE PONY: EQUESTRIA GIRLS—FRIENDSHIP GAMES

Deleted Scenes

Written by Josh Haber

Storyboards by Roxana Beiklik, Jen Davreux, Katrina Hadley, Hanna Lee, Mike Myhre, Jocelain Thiessen

Transcribed by Alan Back (ajback@yahoo.com)

Notes:                The following four scenes are presented as animatics—sequences of rough

storyboard drawings, with little or no color, that show key events. Markings are included to indicate character motions/actions, for later use by the animation staff. Notes at the beginning of each scene indicate color, if any, and a reference point where it would have fit in the film.

                As a group, “the Rainbooms” refers to Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow

                Dash, Rarity, and Sunset Shimmer.

Twilight Sparkle/Sunset Shimmer Duet

Color:                        Occasional background color, as noted

Reference point:        Immediately after Dean Cadence has summoned Twilight Sparkle to

Abacus Cinch’s office (Act One)

(Opening shot: fade in to Twilight standing and smiling excitedly in her lab at Crystal Prep Academy. Cut to Spike on the floor, growling as he works a chew toy over in his jaws.)

Twilight: (from o.s.) Maybe she has news about my scholarship! (He stops and cocks a puzzled ear.) It’s never too early to get started on the rest of your life, Spike. (Cut to frame both of them and the lab.) And it’s not like I have anything left to learn at Crystal Prep.

Same quiet guitar melody as her solo Act One song, moderate 4 (D major)

(Outside the lab; she emerges and closes the door behind her, then steels herself for a walk down a mostly-empty hallway, dodging two passersby.)

Twilight:        I’ve walked through all these halls before

(She turns to look in through the window of a closed classroom door.)

                I’ve been in and out of every door, whoa

(Zoom in on the pane; a math class is in progress.)

Synthesizer in

                There’s nothing in this school that I don’t know

(A student leans into view on the other side and pulls down a shade to block Twilight’s view. The latter’s surprised reflection now appears, and she walks past a nearby trophy case.)

                In every class my grade’s the best, the highest score on every test

(The fingertips she runs over its glass front curl into a fist and pull away.)

                I think that means it’s time for me to go

I know there’s more that’s out there, and I just haven’t found it yet

(smiling)        I know there’s more that’s out there, another me I haven’t met

Synth out; strings/drums/bass in

(As she rounds a corner to enter a different hallway, Sunset Shimmer emerges from the other side, her posture a near-perfect mirror image for the bookish girl’s. The background behind her becomes the lobby of Canterlot High School, and the background takes on faded colors. An instant later, the view has shifted to her campus and the camera pans slowly to follow her across floor as students pass in the fore.)

Sunset:        Everyone here likes who I am

(She waves to a few of them.)

                And it’s not from a magic spell’s command, whoa

(Crossing to the doors, she pushes them open to look out at the Wondercolt statue.)

                My friends look past the things I’ve done before

(Tilt up into the sky, full of happy clouds. She sweeps a hand across, mentally turning them into a dragon, parasprite, and reptilian Siren.)

                But still I miss those quests, the mythic creatures’ magic tests

(She descends the steps.)

                High school’s great, sure, but who am I anymore?

Horns in

(Cut to Twilight walking up a flight of stairs. Background color drops out.)

Twilight:        It’s not that I’m ungrateful or trying to succeed

(Stop at a landing to look out a window. Cut to a long shot of her, seen from outside, and zoom out slowly—she is in one of the towers that flank Crystal Prep’s front entrance.)

                But there’s something left still missing, something that I need

(Cut to Sunset walking toward the Wondercolt statue. Muted color on the lawn and distant hills.)

Synth in

Sunset:        I know there’s more that’s out there, maybe folks that need my help

(Students rush past in either direction.)

                I know there’s more that’s out there, because I’ve seen it for myself

Intensity builds

(Close-up; now she stands across the street from Sugarcube Corner, her back to it. No background color.)

                There’s only so much this town can offer, and I’m not saying that’s so bad

(She walks toward the camera, blacking out the screen. Snap to a store window as she moves near enough for her reflection to show up in the glass.)

                But I know there’s more that’s out there, ’cause it’s a life that I once had

(As Sunset turns her back to the glass, her image becomes that of Twilight and the camera cuts to the latter, leaning up against a well-polished crystal wall with Sunset’s reflection visible behind her. The flesh-and-blood girl pulls away, the image changing back to her own, and steps across the floor of the broad rotunda at which she has arrived, the camera tracking around her.)

Twilight:        Beyond these rooms, beyond these walls

(Overhead shot; zoom out slowly.)

                So much to learn, I can’t see it all

(She moves toward the next flight of stairs. Cut to Sunset, walking down a street toward the distant heart of Canterlot proper.)

Sunset:        This town is home, this school is safe

                But how can I be home and still feel out of place?

Stoptime

(Twilight reaches the top of the stairs to face the closed door to Abacus’s office.)

Twilight:                And I know there’s more that’s out there, another world to explore

Stoptime ends

(Cut to Sunset, standing at a corner and gazing toward the other end of the crosswalk.)

Sunset:                And I know there’s more that’s out there, am I wrong for wanting more?

(She raises a palm to the camera. Zoom in to an extreme close-up of it, then cut to both girls at once—singing together, but neither aware of the other’s presence even as they duplicate movements.)

Twilight, Sunset:        And I can’t wait for it to happen, though what it is, I cannot say

                        I just know there’s more that’s out there, and it’s calling out my name

Intensity builds

(Split screen: each strides purposefully ahead—Sunset across the street, Twilight toward the office.)

                        And I’m searching for the answer, ’cause I feel I’ve lost my way

(One stops at a building entrance, the other at the imposing door. Split-screen close-up, with half of Sunset’s face on one side and the opposite half of Twilight’s on the other.)

                        I may not know what’s really out there, but I’ll find out someday

(Sunset’s half fades away, leaving all of Twilight framed in close-up.)

                        I’ll find out someday

Song ends

(She lets her eyes drop with a hint of trepidation. Cut to an extreme close-up of the doorknob as she grasps and turns it, then fade to black.)

Sunset and Twilight in the Café

Color:                        None

Reference point:        Immediately following the previous scene

(Opening shot: fade in to an extreme close-up of a pair of closed double doors. Conversation hums in the air as one of them swings open to admit Sunset—this is the entrance of the building she approached at the end of the duet scene. Zoom out to frame a coat tree off to one side as she steps in. A cut to her perspective and slow pan indicate that she has entered a restaurant or café, with booth seating to either side and a diner counter directly across from her. At a far corner table, Princess Twilight leans out to wave.)

Princess Twilight: Sunset?

(Back to Sunset, who returns the wave and crosses the room to sit opposite Princess Twilight and her meal.)

Princess Twilight: Why did you want to meet? Is something wrong? (Conversation dies out.)

Sunset:  I don’t know. Maybe. I guess. It’s just…there’s this big competition coming up at school and everyone’s looking forward to it, and I am too, I-I guess. It’s just kind of…ordinary and not very…

Princess Twilight: Magical?

Sunset: (sighing) After studying magic in Equestria and traveling to a different dimension and making friends and defeating evil, I kinda need more than intramural sports.

Princess Twilight: Have you talked to the others about it?

Sunset: Sort of. But I don’t want them to think I don’t support them or want CHS to win. (Close-up of her hands, stirring her coffee; she continues o.s.) It just makes me wonder if there’s… (Back to her, scowling lightly.) …more for me back home.

Princess Twilight: In Equestria? Well, there’s definitely more magic there, but there’s magic here now, too.

Sunset: Yeah, but I don’t understand it. And even if I did— (Extreme close-up of her reflection in the coffee.) —Vice-Principal Luna wants me to keep it away from the competition as much as possible.

(Her expression softens into one of muted regret as Princess Twilight’s hands reach into view and cover the cup; tilt up to the latter’s smiling face.)

Princess Twilight: Well, it’s up to you. (Cut to frame both.) As long as the portal is open, you can come back to Equestria whenever you want.

(Sunset sips coffee with a relieved smile as a waitress comes over to drop off the check and refill Princess Twilight’s water glass. The royal dimension-hopper glances uncertainly at the slip of paper before reaching toward a pocket; cut to a close-up of the table corner in front of her as she holds several fair-sized coins into view. Some show a unicorn head overlaid on a sun, others a horseshoe, unicorn horn, and pair of wings—bits brought over from Equestria. Princess Twilight frantically counts through them as Sunset gives her a humoring smile and shakes her head.)

Sunset: Uh, I got it. (fishing in pocket) You can pay me back when I come to see you.

(She produces a few bills, which are taken away by the waitress. Fade to black.)

Alternate Hallway Scene

Color:                         Background only on the first two shots, muted

Reference point:        Immediately following the conversation between Twilight and Abacus

                        on the front lawn of Canterlot High, ending with “…it isn’t to help us

win” (Act Two)

(Opening shot: fade in to a close-up of Twilight, standing outside Canterlot High and looking worriedly off to one side. Wipe to the lobby, filled with students passing here and there, and zoom in slowly on the Rainbooms as they approach along a hallway.)

Rarity: I can’t believe our world’s Twilight goes to Crystal Prep!

(Cut to a slow pan across the six girls on these last two words. There is no more background color for the rest of this scene.)

Rainbow Dash: You’re saying that Twilight’s gonna play against us? She’d never do that.

Fluttershy: Our Twilight wouldn’t.

Sunset: (incensed) Our Twilight’s a princess in Equestria, where magic doesn’t randomly pop up during pep rallies and costume changes!

(The fit of pique vanishes as quickly as it came, the camera panning slowly across her five discomfited friends, and she sighs.)

Sunset: I’m sorry. I know how important the Games are to all of you, but the magic over here is so frustrating. It makes no sense!

Rainbow: (crossing to her, thumping fist against shoulder) Aw, you’ll figure it out.

Sunset: I’m not sure I want to. (Puzzled glances among Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity.)

Applejack: What do you mean? (Zoom in slowly on Sunset.)

Sunset: Well, I keep thinking that magic should behave here in the way it does in Equestria, but…maybe what I really need to do is…go back.

Fluttershy: You mean…leave us?

Sunset: Of course I don’t want to leave all of my friends, but… (leaning heavily against a locker) …I don’t want to spend my whole life wanting things to be different than they are.

Pinkie: Sounds to me like trying to control magic for the Friendship Games is stressing you out. (Rarity steps forward from the others.)

Rarity: Oh, Sunset. (She slides over to rest her hands on one arm.) Vice-Principal Luna only asked you to try your best. I’m sure she never meant to put any undue pressure on you. (Here comes Applejack to plunk a hand on the other shoulder.)

Applejack: That’s right. Why don’t you just wait until after the Games? Then we can all take a look at the magic over here together. If you still want to go back after that, we won’t stand in your way.

(Sunset’s eyes flick toward the rest of the group, finding understanding smiles from Fluttershy and Rainbow and a quivery, shining-eyed one on Pinkie’s face.)

Sunset: (sighing, smiling) All right. I mean, I am already on the team. I wouldn’t want to let anyone down.

(Cheers from the others. Cut to a pan across the courtyard, the camera set some distance back from the Wondercolt statue and pointing toward the curb. One of the two Crystal Prep buses is already parked here, with the school’s team gathered on the sidewalk in front of it, and the other one pulls in as the view fades to black.)

Alternate Ending

Color:                        None

Reference point:        Immediately following Abacus’s exit from the Canterlot High campus and

Principal Celestia’s remarks, ending with “…to declare us all winners”

(Act Three)

(Opening shot: fade from black to white, then in to a slow pan across the Canterlot High lawn. The Rainbooms have gathered near the base of the Wondercolt statue. Elsewhere, DJ P0N-3 shares a pair of headphones with Lemon Zest to listen to a bit of loud guitar rock on an MP3 player. Here comes Cadence, clipboard in hand; pan away from her to the door of one Crystal Prep bus, where Twilight and Indigo Zap are standing.)

Indigo: I don’t care what Principal Cinch says. (Cadence steps over to them.) It’s been more fun getting to know everyone at CHS— (boarding bus) —that it ever was playing against ’em.

Cadence: (to Twilight) Crystal Prep is definitely going to be a different place now.

(From within the bus, Spike slides to the open doorway.)

Spike: Hey, Twilight! Any idea who you want to sit next to on the way back? (smugly) I already have a waiting list.

(Twilight turns her eyes back toward the lawn, the camera panning to the gathered Rainbooms.)

Sunset: It’s actually kinda nice to know there’s someone at CPA I have so much in common with.

Twilight: And it’s nice to know that CHS is a place where I can always find the magic of friendship. (Sunset puts an arm around her shoulders.)

Sunset: I bet you’ll be able to find it at Crystal Prep pretty soon, too.

(This marks a major difference from the events of the film: Twilight has chosen to remain at Crystal Prep, rather than transfer to Canterlot High. As she and Sunset hug, the camera zooms out to frame the entire bus—with the Rainbooms gathered in front of it and the Shadowbolts smiling from the windows. More students from both schools crowd into the frame, Twilight picks Spike up, and Photo Finish pops up with camera in hand. Its flash fills the screen, then fades away to show the Rainbooms waving goodbye to the Crystal Prep contingent as one bus pulls away and the other takes its place. Cut to a close-up of Sunset and her warm smile, then to Twilight returning it with Spike at her side. A zoom out frames her in the last row of the departing bus, looking out the back window and flanked by her cheerful-faced teammates. She waves as it rolls off down the street; cut to Applejack and Sunset.)

Applejack: So now that the portal’s back open, I guess you can finally head off to Equestria.

Rarity: (from o.s., heavily) Yeah. (Pan to show her on Sunset’s other side, forcing a smile.) Now you can go and have all of those magical adventures you were after, Sunset.

(She finishes this line with a hand rested on the slightly unnerved girl’s shoulder. Said girl pulls away and moves to look at the other bus, then turns back toward the others.)

Sunset: Well, I guess it’s pretty obvious I don’t need to go all the way to Equestria for that.

(During this line, cut to her perspective and pan slowly across the group. Fluttershy is not among them, but a tilt down to ground level shows her sitting by the statue’s base.)

Fluttershy: Still, I’m sure it’ll be nice to get back to where magic is predictable. (Back to Sunset.)

Sunset: (deflated) I guess. (Pinkie leans toward her.)

Pinkie: Even though you finally figured out all our magic comes from the things that make each of us such good friends.

(As she speaks, the camera zooms out to frame a group of girls standing nearby and she quickly whips up a string of balloon-animal dolls for them to take along. Without warning, she “ponies up”—gaining her pony ears and tail—and floats off the sidewalk.)

Pinkie: Whoa! (Giggle; Applejack produces and twirls a lasso.)

Sunset: Actually, I’ve been thinking about it. (Throw.) I know the magic in Equestria’s dependable. (Reel Pinkie in; she stops just above Applejack’s head.) But there’s something cool about not knowing what it’s gonna do next.

Rarity: Ooh, ooh! That’s certainly the case here.

Sunset: And after everything we just went through— (Cut to Fluttershy; she continues o.s.) —I feel like not knowing something isn’t always so bad. (Tilt up to Rainbow.) It gives you something to work for.

Rainbow: (smirking) So what are you saying? (Back to Sunset.)

Sunset: Equestria has a magic all its own, but this place does too.

(Cut to a slow pan behind her as her hair waves in a breeze and she faces the street, silhouetted by the setting sun.)

Sunset: Someone has to figure out how it works here, and it may as well be me, so… (turning to camera) …I guess I’m saying… (Close-up.) …I’ve decided to stay.

(She is immediately mobbed by five whooping, cheering Rainbooms as the camera zooms out.)

Sunset: Of course, I will have to go back to Equestria for a visit. I think Twilight’s gonna want to hear about the other her.

(Laughs all around. Cut to a longer shot of the group—with DJ P0N-3 and Zest still listening to their tunes in the background—and fade to black.)