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

down several people, i guess

Of course, the darkness and the wind didn't help Rainbow Dash's anxiety at all as she waited in the Rustic Forest, looking for anything that might clue her in that Laverna was there.

"I know you're out there!" she called out into the wind, rubbing her arms to keep them warm. "Show yourself!"

Nothing showed. Not even a hint of Laverna and her magic.

Still cold from the weather, Rainbow Dash decided she'd give it another five minutes before leaving, starting to realize that maybe Laverna was just trying to dupe her or something.

Apparently she was right. Because the second she turned her head, Twilight was already a few inches away, horror written all over her face.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked, very much scared.

"I... I thought Laverna was going to make me have a showdown with her," Rainbow Dash admitted. "What's wrong?"

"It's Azura," Twilight said. "Something happened to Azura and now we can't wake her up."

Rainbow Dash blanched. "What?"

All fourteen apprentices flanked the unconscious Guardian, looking serene even though they all knew she wasn't willingly this way. Sunburst was on the leaf bed next to her, icing her forehead.

"She's alive," Pinkie reassured. "Just... poisoned by toad venom."

There was only one person they knew would have access to toad venom.

"It was definitely Laverna," Twilight said for all fourteen of them. 

"And she got all the other Guardians too," Shimmer added. "We tried to get another Guardian for help, but they're all in the same shape as Laverna."

"It'll wear off with time," Pinkie assured the group. 

Now not as worried about the Guardians, the apprentices decided to rear in on the other problem. 

"Where were you?" Faban demanded. "You were supposed to be on patrol with Sunburst. If there had been two of you, one could've gone for help."

Before Rainbow Dash could explain her situation, Linden's voice broke the tension. "Guys, it's not all her fault."

"Of course it's her fault!" Shimmer crossed her arms. "We're just lucky the Enchantress wasn't there, or we'd have lost her, too."

"It's not just Rainbow Dash," Sunburst said, and all attention turned to her. "I should have fought harder. Laverna's just so powerful. Really, really, really powerful. Like, probably the most powerful fairy ever."

She paused, noticing everyone gaping at her. 

"My head," she leaned back on the leaf, pressing the flower-covered ice harder against her temples. Rainbow Dash just rolled her eyes, wondering how Sunburst could switch personalities like this so easily. "I don't know what I'm saying."

"Either way, Rainbow Dash didn't make this happen," Fluttershy insisted. 

"She wasn't on patrol, simple as that," Shimmer retorted. 

"Guys, stop it," Applejack cut in between the two warring factions. "As of right now, the Guardians are down, meaning they can't perform the Flight of Spring. So who will?"

"No one," Lumina said, obviously in a future trance. "I can see it. The Flight of Spring won't happen. All Fairytopia is doomed."

No one noticed Sunburst (Laverna) smirk at the worries of the group. 

"Isn't it perfect, Maxie?" Laverna gushed at the communication device.

"It might be if I had any moisture left in my mouth," Max rasped, mouth still dry from poisoning the Guardians. "Who knew you'd need so much toad spit to poison seven guardians?"

"With the Guardians out of commission, it's only a matter of time before..."

"Sunburst!"

Laverna looked up to see Faban poking through the door of her room. 

"We just received word from the Enchantress," he said, obviously worried about that. "She wants to see all the apprentices. It's about the Flight of Spring."

"The Enchantress?" Laverna fake-gushed. "Wow! I'll be right there!"

Faban nodded and left her alone. 

Laverna went back to Max. "Don't you just love it when a plan comes together?"

"Very impressive. Now, about me still being a toad..."

"All in good time, my little Fungus. Right now I have an appointment with the Enchantress."

All fourteen apprentices stood at the same landing where they'd begun their learning about the Flight of Spring, but the air seemed less exciting than it had at that time all those days ago. Shimmer and Faban weren't even looking at Rainbow Dash anymore, who was lucky that she even had the majority of supporters. Surprisingly, Sunburst was in her camp too, which was definitely throwing her off. Wasn't this supposed to be the same girl she'd been hurling orbs of light against? 

A familiar fairy landed in front of them. The Enchantress herself. "Heads up. I want you to be brave and strong."

Rainbow Dash noticed her eyes flit to the geodes a couple of times. 

She definitely knows what we don't, she thought, her mind compiling the facts like it was nothing. It... it was a skill she was adjusting to having. Not that her friends needed to know about it. 

"With the Guardians unavailable, it's up to you to step up and perform the Flight," the Enchantress continued. 

The reactions were pretty predictable. 

"But... we're not ready," Twilight pointed out. 

"We wouldn't know what we're doing," Shimmer said. 

"I don't even have the proper outfit created for the occasion!" Rarity complained, getting a look from Applejack. 

"I see very bad things happening if we do this," Lumina fretted. 

"I see very bad things happening if you don't," the Enchantress said. "In two days, the Blush will be ready for the Flight of Spring. I will train you personally. If Fairytopia falls, it will not be for lack of trying. Can I count on you?"

Rainbow Dash saw her chance to fix the mess she'd put them in. "Let's do this."

Elina was quickly behind her. "You can count on me."

Sunburst silently stepped forward as well. 

"I'm in too," Shimmer said, still very much doing whatever Sunburst did. 

Slowly, everyone else stepped forward as well, mustering up any ounce of courage they still had. 

The Enchantress smiled at their determination and bravery. "Then we're all in this together, and together, we are strong."

The next two days were probably more intense than all the lessons they'd had before. They had some of the basics down, but now they had to strengthen their abilities in magic, Flance, and luminescence more than ever to pull the Flight of Spring off well. The Enchantress had reassured that with double the fairies (and technically humans) working to open the Blush, it should alleviate some of the pressures of each piece of the rainbow, but it wasn't like they were going to get lazy just because of that. 

But the entire time, Rainbow Dash kept careful track of Sunburst. She still kept very much supporting her whenever Shimmer and Faban tried to confront her on releasing Laverna and ditching Sunburst during patrol. 

She knew at some point the confrontation would happen. 

She just worried it would be in the middle of the most important moment Fairytopia would experience. 

first wattpad chapter as a seventeen-year-old! yup, i'm the birthday girl during this timeframe (just not giving specifics for anonymity), and yes, what did excite me during this time is that oversimplified finally came out with a new video. when i tell you it's been so long since he's updated--