p style="text-align: left;"It was sunny out in San Bernardino. We take a look at Carousel Boutique, where Annika works. It looks like she was playing her clarinet, which is pretty random. She continues to play her clarinet until the doorbell rang. When she opens it, she found a pony /br /"Yeah, uhh, we're with the pet hospital down the streets and I understand that you have a dying animal in the premises-" the vet said, only getting cut off with Annika slamming the door on his face. But before she could continue playing her clarinet, her phone /br /"Hello. You've reached the house of unrecognized talent. Please start after the-" she said before playing a clarinet /br /"Sounds like you've got a dying animal to attend to, eh ol' chum?" Bengt /br /Annika gasped. "Bengt from band class?"br /br /"I hear you're playing the cash register now." Bengt /br /"Sometimes. Uh, how's your day?" The girl /br /"Fine. Anyways, I'm the leader of a big fancy band now, and we're supposed to play the Bubble Bowl next week." Bengt /br /"The ba-ba-ba... The ba-ba-ba... The ba-ba-ba?!" Annika stuttered in /br /"That's right. I'm living your dreams Annika. The problem is, I'm busy next week and can't make it. So, I was hoping you and your band could cover for us."br /br /"Ohh, uhh, I... I, uhh..." Annika /br /"I knew it! You don't even have a band! Well, I'll just let you get back to the service industry now." Bengt teased, but before she could end the call, Annika stopped /br /"Hold it! It just so happens that I don't just sell outfits, I do have a band, and we're gonna play that Bubble Bowl! How do you like that, Fancy Girl?!"br /br /"Good luck next Tuesday. I hope the audience brings lots of... ibuprofen!" With that, Bengt hung up with /br /"I gotta drum up a marching band fast! Drum... haha... band humor."br /br /The following day, posters have been posted around San Bernardino. Anna walks up to /br /"Looking to add fulfillment to your dull, dull life?" The next scene cuts to /br /"Then become part of the greatest musical sensation to ever hit San Bernardino." The next scene goes to /br /"And be forever adored by thousands of people you don't know." Then the camera focuses on /br /"Not to mention free refreshments." Last but not the least, the next scene switches to Karen, who is taking a /br /"Practice begins tonight. 8:30 sharp."br /br /Once it's 8:30 PM, Annika was pulling a cart of musical /br /"Stupid musical rental clerk made me late. That trilobite didn't know an oboe from an elbow. Elbow, heh, more band humor." She /br /The camera cuts to an old meeting building. Everypony were seated, instruments in hooves, all the while mumbling some blah' /br /"People, people, settle down. Okay now. How many of you have played musical instruments before?" Annika asked the others. Willie raised her /br /"Do instruments of torture count?" she /br /"No." Annika replied. Tommy raised her hoof /br /"Is jalape?o an instrument?"br /br /"No Tommy. Jalape?o is not an instrument." However, Tommy raised her hoof /br /"A sombrero is not an instrument either." Tommy lowers her hoof once /br /"That's fine. No one has any experience. Fortunately, I have enough talent for all of you." Annika chuckled, while everypony simply stood /br /"So when do we get the free food?" Nancy /br /"OK, try to repeat after me." Annika said before playing six notes on her clarinet. "Brass section, go."br /br /The brass section consisting of the Nancy's Clue Crew were following Annika's notes, albeit /br /"Good, now the wind." The wind section consisting of Betsy, Tacy and Willy did the same thing, but still /br /"And the drums." The drum section consisting of Pippi, Danny and Jack made the mistake of blowing their drumsticks since they misinterpreted them as wind instruments, and as a result, their drumsticks went flying towards Annika, pinning her towards the /br /"Too bad that didn't kill me," she mumbled. Once the incident subsided, Annika was now back in /br /"Let's just try stepping in the rhythm. Now I want everypony to stand in straight rows of five." But before doing so, Pippi raised her /br /"Is this the part where we start kicking?" She /br /"No Pippi, that's a chorus line." Annika replied. However, Tommy misunderstood what it /br / "Kicking? I wanna do some kicking!" Tommy then kicked Anna in the leg, instantly aggravating /br /"Ow! Why you...! Why I oughta...!" The latter said pouncing on Tommy before beating her up until they both rolled outside and the doors slammed /br /"AAAAAHHHH!" Tommy screamed from outside. Everyone stared at the door until they burst open, revealing Tommy's /br /"Whoever is the owner of the white carriage, you left it unattended." She said before trotting back in, revealing that Anna lodged a trombone on her body. Every time she takes a step, a trombone note is heard. Once she sits down, she makes another trombone sound, before opening her mouth to reveal another one. The others stared at /br /Once the second day arrives, the band were playing Semper Fidelis /br /"Okay, everypony. Bubble Bowl here we come. Flag twirlers, really spin those things. Okay, turn. Flag twirlers, let's go. I wanna see some spinning. Flag twirlers let's move! C'mon, move!" Annika said. However, the flag twirlers spun their flags so hard, that they take off into the sky and crash right into a hot air balloon, with the result is a massive explosion. Once it's over, Rachel plays Taps on his trumpet, while the others mourn, minus Annika, who just simply lied down on the /br /When the third day arrives, the hall was nearly empty except for Annika and /br /"How's that multi-instrument solo coming, Willie?" The former /br /"It's tremendous, you wanna see?" The latter said. She started playing the trumpets and harmonicas simultaneously, only running out of breath and passing out due to the lack of /br /The fourth day has arrived and that's where things started turning out of control. Everypony else have /br /"Well, this is our last night before the show. And I know that none of you have improved since we began..." The camera cuts to Tommy chewing on a trumpet. The scene cuts back to /br /"...but I have a theory. People talk loud when they wanna act smart, right?" Annika told /br /"CORRECT!" Willie shouted after literally taking what Annika /br /"So, if we played loud, people might think we're good. Everypony ready?" Annika said. The others prepared their /br /"And a one, and a two, and a one, two, three, four!" Unfortunately, they took Annika's advice a bit too literally, resulting in a really loud, ear-shattering noise. Due to the loud noise, all of the windows of the hall shattered. The scene cuts back inside with Annika, who's face has been distorted beyond recognition, her mane being completely messed up, and to top it all off, her baton breaks in /br /"Okay, new theory. Maybe we should play so quietly, no kids can hear us." Annika suggested. However, it is the last straw to the /br /"Well, maybe we wouldn't sound so bad if some pony didn't try to play with dusty, messy hooves!" a random child said. However, Nancy has taken it as an /br /"What did you say, punk?!" Nancy said, angered about the /br /"Dusty... Messy... Hooves!" The child said once again, shouting. Nancy then imitates a boxer's 'bring it on' /br /"Well, these hooves ain't for just makin' cakes." The latter /br /"Bring it on, old man! Bring it on!" The former retaliated. However, before a fight ensues, Pippi interrupts them by pushing them /br /"No, people. Let's be smart and bring it off." She said. Still, this doesn't stop everypony from getting into a huge rumble. A random mare spoke /br /"Oh, so now the talking cotton candy is going to preach us." She /br /"Wait, wait. I know tensions are high..." Annika said, only getting the answer she never wished she had. Everypony broke out in a massive brawl. Kristy and Karlsson were yelling at each other, only having the latter get slammed by a drum, courtesy of /br /"There's a deposit on that equipment, people!" Annika warned. Still, it fell to deaf ears. Everypony soon started using the instruments as weapons. The child from earlier and Nancy were charging at each other using oboes as lances, only screeching to a halt, shortly before getting themselves squished together by Willy using /br /"Settle down, please!" Annika once again called out, but to no avail as always. Anna and Lyra Heartstrings were fighting, using drumsticks and a xylophone, respectively. Anna breaks off Lyra's xylophone keys, causing her to retreat. Tommy once again kicked Anna's leg just like before. Anna soon threatened Tommy by attempting to lodge another trombone on her, forcing Tommy to run away, with Anna hot on her tail (sort of). The clock soon reaches 10 and everyone stops fighting, but for some reason, Pippi was fighting with a fake /br /"Hey, class is over." Svante said. The others soon followed her, not until Annika slams the door /br /"Well, you did it," she said sadly. "You took my one chance in happiness...and crushed it! Crushed it into little, tiny, bite-size pieces.
I really expected better of you people. I guess I'm a loser for that, too. Don't bother showing up tomorrow. I'll just tell them that you all died in a marching accident. So thanks," she said, sobbing. "Thanks for nothing!" After saying the last line, Annika /br /"You're welcome." Tommy said. Pippi then spoke /br /"What kind of monsters are we? That poor creature came to us in her hour of need, and we failed her. Annika's always been there for us when it was convenient for her. Emil, when your little Ditzy was trapped in a fire, who rescued her?"br /br /"A fireman." Emil /br /"And Kristy, when your heart gave out from all that training, who revived you?" Pippi /br /"Some kids in an ambulance." Kristy /br /"Right. So, if we can all just pretend that Annika is a fireman, or some people in an ambulance, then I'm sure that we can all pull together and discover what it truly means to be in a marching band." Pippi /br /"Yeah, for the fireman!" A child said. Everypony chorused with a single 'hooray'.br /br /"Now let's make Annika proud." Pippi said before holding up a baton. "A one, a two, a skiddly diddly doo." Pippi said before the next scene cuts to Annika sadly walking to the entrance of the Bubble Bowl /br /"I knew this was gonna happen. They're just gonna have to find another band to play. I just hope that..." Annika said, but before she could finish her sentence, Bengt was already there. "...Bengt doesn't find out! Bengt! AH! What are you doing here?!"br /br /"Oh I just came to watch you blow it. So, where's your band?" Bengt replied /br /"Uh, they couldn't come. They... died." Annika answered /br /"Then who's that?" Bengt pointing behind Annika. The latter turned around and realized it's her /br /"AAH! THAT WOULD BE MY BAND!" Annika /br /"We're ready to perform, Annika." Pippi /br /"Well, Rare, this is exactly how I pictured your band would look." Bengt said. Pippi is then seen dancing, with a ridiculous look on her /br /"That's her... eager face." Annika said. Bengt simply laughed while everypony go inside the Bubble Bowl stage. The stage soon starts rising to the /br /"Well, I guess this will be the last time I can show my face in this town." Annika /br /"That's the spirit, Annika." Pippi replied. The stage soon emerged from a football /br /"Okay, football fans. Put your hands together for the San Bernardino Youth Band!" The football announcer said. A crowd of live-action humans is /br /"These are some ugly looking people." Tommy /br /"Maybe we're in one of those toxic waste dumps." Pippi /br /"I think I'm gonna be sick." Nancy /br /"Alright everypony." Annika said, nervous. She took a glance at Bengt, who just simply grinned at her while bouncing both of her /br /"Let's get this over with. One, two, three, four..." Much to her shock, the band was able to play a wonderful intro. Annika opened her eyes as Willie plays a keyboard. Pippi soon began /br /Sweet Victory - David Glen Eisleybr /br /emThe winner takes all/embr /br /emit's the thrill of one more kill/embr /br /emThe last one to fall/embr /br /emAnnika stares in shock, despite her band's mistakes four days ago./embr /br /emWill never sacrifice their will/embr /br /Tommy then created a few beats on her futuristic drums, and the stage erupts with fire for special effects. Anna is seen playing a Gibson Flying V, while Nancy is seen playing a /br /emDon't ever look back/embr /br /emwith the world closin' in/embr /br /emBe on the attack/embr /br /emwith your wings on the wind/embr /br /emOh, the games will begin/embr /br /Bengt stared in shock. Annika simply gave her a smug grin, throws away her baton and starts conducting with her /br /emAnd it's sweet, sweet,/embr /br /emsweet victory, yeah/embr /br /emAnd it's ours for the taking,/embr /br /emit's ours for the fight,/embr /br /Bengt faints as paramedics carry her away. Annika then gave her a smug wave and goes to the front of the stage as fire erupts around her once /br /emAnd it's sweet, sweet,/embr /br /emsweet victory, yeah/embr /br /emWilly soon wildly played her guitar./embr /br /emAnd the one who's last to fall/embr /br /Annika soon did a few dance moves in sync with Tommy's drums before jumping up in the air and the entire scene /br /emWe will have sweet, sweet/embr /br /emsweet victory.../embr /br /Everything soon faded to black as the story /br / br /br /FIN!/p