Element of Love

Chapter 13- Trapped

"Check, one, two. Testing. Testing."

I nudged the controller a bit, and the microphone turned on. I adjusted the controls, muscle memory kicking in. I did this so much for Caramel when he was on stage. Sometimes I would work the job through the full show because the techie was sick.

"This doesn't make any sense. We're awful!" Fluttershy said. "Doesn't anybody else think it's strange that we're the ones that made it to the finals?"

"Very strange."

"What are you doing here, Trixie? Pretty sure the losers are supposed to be up there in the cheap seats," Rainbow sassed.

"The great and powerful Trixie is the most talented girl at Canterlot High. It is I who deserve to be in the finals. And I will not be denied!"

A girl pulled a lever, and we were dropped under the stage. The doors closed, and we were trapped in darkness.

It felt like hours. I sat against a wall and closed my eyes, tired. Rainbow slammed herself into the door for the millionth time.

"Give it up, Rainbow Dash. You've been trying at this for hours. It's not gonna open," Applejack snapped.

"Maybe it doesn't even matter that we're trapped down here. I don't think the counter-spell would've worked anyway, even with Ruby's help," Twilight explained.

"'Course it would've worked, Twilight. Assuming a certain band member didn't try to hog the spotlight the whole time we were trying to play it!" Applejack said, glaring at Rainbow.

"Hey! If you wanna tell Twilight she's getting a little too caught up trying to be the new leader of this band, you don't have to be all cryptic about it," Rainbow snapped.

"Hey, that's crossing a line. Twilight's a great leader," I snapped.

"She was talking about you, Rainbow Dash!" Rarity added.

"Me? I'm just trying to make sure my band rocks as hard as it needs to," Rainbow said.

"Our band!"

"But why wasn't it working? We should've known what to do! How could we not know what to do? How could we have failed like this?"

"Because we haven't been in this type of situation before, Twi. This isn't the old Discord, or Queen Chrysalis, or Lord Tirek, or King Sombra. This is something new, and we have to adapt and readjust," I whispered.

Arguing ensued, and I covered my ears. I watched in fear as green and blue shimmery mist floated up through the cracks of the wood floorboards. They got to them. They were going to have our power.

Bass music played, and I feared the worst. It was the worst.

"Stop!" Sunset shouted.

"Stop arguing!" I screamed, making them actually stop.

"This is what they've been after all along. They're feeding off of the magic inside you," Sunset realized.

"How can they be using our magic?" Applejack asked. "It's the magic of friendship."

"Ever since you started this band, you've been letting little things get to you. I never said anything because I didn't feel like it was my place. When I was still new to this friendship thing. I still have a lot to learn, but I do know that if you don't work out even the smallest problems right at the start, the magic of friendship can be turned into something else," Sunset explained.

"I can't believe all this tension was happening right under my nose and I didn't realize it. I'm supposed to be the one with all the answers. And all I've done since I've got here is let you down," Twilight explained.

"I don't think anyone is supposed to have all the answers. But you can count on all your friends to help you find them," Sunset reasoned, motioning to the six of us.

"I think you already have," Twilight agreed.

"Come on. We need to get out of here," I said determinedly.

We all pushed on the door until we fell back. There was a knock and Spike opened the door. I sighed in relief. Someone was here to save us. We could always count on Spike. Twilight and I gave grateful looks to Spike.

"Sorry I took so long. I had to find somebody who wasn't under the Sirens' spell to get you out," Spike explained as DJ Pon-3 appeared.

"Why isn't she under their spell?" Twilight asked.

"Never takes off her headphones," Spike replied.

"Come on, ya'll! Time to prove we still got the magic of friendship inside of us!" Applejack announced.

"And there's only one way to do it," I added.

"We're getting the band back together?" Pinkie guessed.

"We're getting our band back together," Rainbow corrected her, making me smile.

"Which version of the counter-spell are we going to play?" Rarity asked.

"I don't think it matters what song we play. As long as we play it together. As friends," Twilight explained.

"I know just the song," Rainbow said, walking over to Fluttershy. "Fluttershy's written a really great one."

"We're about to save the world here. Personally, I think we should do it in style. Rarity?" Applejack looked at her.

"I'd thought you'd never ask!"