A Fashion Show Fiasco

Back at camp, the rest of the girls were getting ready for the fashion show. They were parading back and forth down the dock in Rarity’s fashions. Rarity was the one who first noticed that Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer were missing. She had two outfits picked out especially for them.

“They’re missing our dress rehearsal,” Rarity fretted. She called for them. “Whenever you’re ready.” But there was no response.

But none of the other girls seemed concerned. They decided to start without them. DJ Pon-3 was spinning a record. Rarity made some final adjustments to the outfits. Applejack was admiring the stylish belt she was wearing.

“Told you you’d like it.” Rarity laughed, pleased with her work and Applejack’s reaction.

“It’s all right, I guess,” Applejack commented, trying to play it cool. “I do get to keep it after camp, though, right?”

Rarity grinned and sent Applejack strutting down the runway. Who’d have thought she’d be a natural model? But she was.

The girls were all too busy to notice the strange creature floating toward the camp courtyard. Ivy trailed from her dress. Weeds tangled in her hair. It was Gloriosa. She was floating above the ground. She drifted past Snips and Snails.

“She looks different,” noted Snips.

“You think so?” Snails asked, scratching his head.

More and more campers were heading down to the dock to watch the fashion show rehearsal. Timber was there, too.

“This is only a preview,” Rarity told them. “I’ve got another entire line I’ll debut at the real thing.”

The record scratched to silence. “Why did you stop the…” Rarity’s voice trailed off as she saw Gloriosa approaching. DJ Pon-3 was wide-eyed with amazement.

Campers started screaming.

“It’s Gaea Everfree!”

“She’s real!”

“We’re doomed!”

Gloriosa grabbed the microphone from DJ Pon-3. “Attention, campers!”

Timber was in a state of shock. “Gloriosa? What are you doing?”

“That’s Gloriosa?” Applejack couldn’t believe it. “Am I goin’ crazy or are her feet not touching the ground?”

Pinkie Pie tilted her head sideways to get a better look. “Freaky deaky!”

“I have an announcement to make,” warbled Gloriosa, her voice strangely altered. “Filthy Rich wants this to be the last session of Camp Everfree… but don’t worry. I got this!”

Gloriosa dropped the mic and pressed her hands to the ground. Red light spread out from her fingers, creating a huge circle around the entire campgrounds. Thorny brambles sprouted up, creating a defensive wall. They spread their branches, and their roots overturned tents and ripped down the just-built dock!

“Come on!” yelled Rainbow Dash. “We literally just finished building that.”

Gloriosa was triumphant—and scary. “I’ve been searching for a way to keep the sharks in suits at bay! Magic has been my salvation, and now I can see that it’s the only way to keep my camp with me!”

The campers were terrified and backing away from her. They tried to push through the wall of brambles, but it was too thick and prickly. They were trapped!

With a quick nod of agreement, Luna and Celestia charged toward Gloriosa. But she was ready for them. Vines sprang up, wrapped around them, and suspended them from a tree!

Gloriosa’s green eyes sparkled. She was out of control! “I can feel nature agree. The camp should stay with me. But how to keep those tyrants out? A bramble fortress to surmount…”

Timber had found an ax and was chopping at the thorn bushes. For every branch he cut off, two more grew. The wall was bigger and stronger than before.

Gloriosa was ranting and raving. “We’ll be safe in your thorny walls. And Camp Everfree will never ever fall. Nature, hear my plea; enshroud my camp for me!”

The brambles rose higher and higher—higher than the trees.

The campers were terrified!

What would she do next?