The Barbie Adventure IX: Barbie Fairytopia: Magic of the Rainbow

growing rivalries

"Welcome to your first lesson in Flance," Topaz smiled at the group. "Please allow me to demonstrate."

She began performing a series of moves in the air, clearly following a more ballet-esque style. 

"This won't end well," Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "We all know I can't dance."

"I'm sure you'll do fine," Elina reassured. 

Topaz finished her little dance and waved her hands, causing a series of ascending crystals to appear. "Elina, how about you? Please land on the colored gems as they appear in the sky."

Elina seemed a little nervous but began hopping from crystal to crystal, doing her best to imitate the arm and leg gestures the Guardian had done earlier. Luckily, she was apparently very good at visual learning, because she ended up performing a beautiful dance, especially for a first attempt. 

"Elina, that was incredible!" Topaz clapped. Elina smiled sheepishly and returned to her spot. 

"Yeah, there's no way I can follow that," Rainbow Dash insisted. 

Sunburst grunted and rolled her eyes. Rainbow Dash simply rolled her eyes right back, and they were both surprised Topaz didn't notice, focused on Lumina going. 

Deep in the Bogs of the Hinterlands, Laverna kept on her mushroom stool, fanned by two fungi. 

"Faster, Fungus, faster," she demanded. "I need relief from this infernal heat. I'm cold-blooded."

"I thought she was cold-hearted," one fungus commented. 

"No, no. She's hard-headed," the other one corrected. 

"Not hardheaded?"

"Fungus!" Laverna snapped. 

"Ah, those dulcet tones," Max said, approaching the group. "How terribly I've missed them."

"Max!" Laverna said. "Finally, I can leave these dreaded Bogs and put my plan into action!"

"I'm sorry, did you just say you were leaving the Bogs?" Max was confused now. "If you leave without a royal pardon from the Enchantress, you'll become a real toad."

"I appreciate the concern. Yes, I'll be a real toad when I leave, but only until a fairy spell releases me. And as a reward for your diligence, I have a very special assignment for you."

"Welcome to Luminescence," Azura said. The group was whittled down to just Rainbow Dash and Sunburst. Neither of them were even sure why they were paired together for this class. "Now, each of you powerful energy inside of you, one that can be thrown into the world as a brilliant magical light."

She turned to one of the hanging flowers. "For example, if you want to coax open the First Blush of Spring, you'll need to focus on your light energy."

She sent a stream of light blue light towards the flower, and the petals bloomed outwards until she released her hold. "Rainbow Dash. I want you to cast your inner light on this flower."

Rainbow Dash made sure to give a smug grin at Sunburst, partially to mask her doubts about being able to do it at all. The morning had already proved she had some sort of magic in this world beyond her geode; she was able to make the "separation of light from water" thingy happen, only it was a deep indigo blue instead of orange like Sunburst and Applejack. 

She flew towards the flower, holding out her hands, her brows furrowing in concentration. A small burst of deep blue light appeared in her palms before extinguishing quickly, which gave Sunburst reason to laugh. 

That definitely set off the competitive nerve. Focusing harder, Rainbow Dash forced the orb of light to return, and it did, stronger and more powerful than the last one. Unfortunately, she couldn't quite control it and the next thing she knew, Sunburst was on the ground, having been hit by the light.

"Oh crap," she cringed a little as Sunburst stood up, taking in her new appearance. Every inch of her, from her wings to her hair to even her skin, was now a deep indigo. 

"I'm blue!" she whined. In a flash, she hurled an orb of orange light, slamming Rainbow Dash in the chest. Orange light spread across her body and she saw that she was now tinted orange. Obviously revenge. 

"Oh, it is on!" she yelled, throwing back another orb of light, causing deep blue dots to form on Sunburst's skin. 

"That's enough!" Azura scolded, and the fight stopped before Sunburst could get back at Rainbow Dash. "Never, never point your spells at another apprentice."

"She started it!" both girls shouted, giving each other dirty looks.

"I don't care who started it!" Azura silenced them both. She began waving her hands in circles. "Annullsera, revulsera, expungerillimmersera, nulliferous, null!"

In a flash, light blue magic restored both apprentices back to their normal appearance. 

"This time we'll say it was an accident," Azura said, eyeing them both heavily. "But I never want to catch anyone using magic on another apprentice again. Am I clear?"

Neither of them were interested in any apologies, but they seemed content with listening to the Guardian. "Yes, Azura."

Azura resumed her usual complacent smile. "Now then, let's continue the lesson."

Sunburst was up next, but one look and both she and Rainbow Dash knew. 

There wouldn't be any friendships formed between the two of them.