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// Do Not Read This Chapter While Eating 
// Story: Principal Celestia Hunts the Undead 
// by Rune Soldier Dan 
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Cadence was not surprised when Celestia asked her to stay home. It was, Cadence believed, the older woman’s style to try and protect everyone around her like overgrown children. It aided her, strengthened her… and blinded her. If Cinch was aware Cadence knew her secret, the dean’s address was right in the school directory. And if Cinch was uncertain, calling in sick would be immensely suspicious.

Cadence supposed she could grab Shining Armor and hop on a plane… but come on, she had papers to grade.

There was another part, too, that brought her to school that Monday. A long weekend to think about it made her realize Cinch probably suspected nothing. If the vampire principal knew, why would she have let Cadence leave? Here lay a chance to poke around the dark corners of the school, and look through Cinch’s office when opportunity knocked. Maybe there would be some hints of a greater plan the hunters could make sense of.

Admittedly, Cadence wasn’t the best of spies. After trying the lock on Cinch’s office for the third time, a point-blank voice came from behind.

“You’re acting very suspiciously.”

Cadence jumped out of her skin, but mercifully, it was only Sugarcoat. Her observation made, the grey girl went silently on her way, leaving Cadence to retire to her office and hyperventilate.

“It’s alright,” she said quietly as her confidence recovered. “I stay late all the time, I can do it tonight. Get the key from the janitor’s room and try then.”

A knock on the door sent cold water through her veins, that turned to ice as a voice followed. “Dean Cadence? A word, if you don’t mind.”

“She doesn’t know,” Cadence whispered. “She can’t know. She wouldn’t have let me leave if she did.”

The words gave her strength, and her next ones were loud enough to be heard. “Come in, Miss Cinch.”

The principal swept into the office, offering a glare Cadence would not meet. But that was their usual – as ever, the matron despot seemed to grimace in disgust at her own dean of students before speaking. “I would like you to join me for lunch in my office. There are things we should discuss.”

The coldly-spoken request was, at least, not an alarming one. Cinch recognized the busy nature of Cadence’s job, and as such generally stood out of her way. When discussion was needed, the principal elected to have it over lunch so as not to impede the efficiency of their work. It was a thorough abuse of Cadence’s unpaid lunch hour, but Cinch was not a woman who could be refused. Not then, and certainly not now.

Cadence smiled with as much sincerity as she could fake. “Sure thing. Let me just get my lunch from the fridge.”

“That will not be necessary.” Cinch’s square jaw moved in clipped time with the words. “It is my treat.”

Cadence froze.

That was suspicious. 

But just like all Cinch’s “offers” before now, there was only one answer. “Of course, Miss Cinch.” She looked at the clock. “It’s only eleven. What time should we eat?”

“Now,” Cinch said. She turned and strode through the door – no gesture was made, but the intent was clear. Cadence rose and followed, desperately trying to sweat quietly.

She could offer distraction, at least. “How did the appeal go?”

Predictably, Cinch’s habitual frown tightened to one of anger. “The school board was unconvinced. Without any proof or confession of guilt on Canterlot’s part, the Friendship Games will remain their victory.”

A low, glowering breath shot from her nose. “One of the board members even called me a sore loser. Never mind Crystal Prep’s reputation for perfection. Never mind Canterlot High’s distinct lack thereof, or the simple fact that cheating is the only way they could ever have won. None of that even considered.”

The tension seemed to depart as she grumbled. The brief, bitter rant ended with a sigh as she produced a heavy silver key and unlocked her office. “Well. No matter, it will be redressed in due time. Here – bon appetit.”

Cinch offering a free lunch was a bizarre enough event that Cadence had no idea what to expect. What she saw nearly floored her: a small table placed within the office, set with a white cloth and a covered silver tray.

Cinch gestured forward, and the dazed Cadence obeyed. She sat down at a china plate and removed the tray’s lid to find a sight that just completed the surrealism.

“Taco salad?”

“It is taco day in the cafeteria,” Cinch announced. “Free to all students and staff.”

“We have taco days?”

Cinch gave a brisk nod as she ladled a bowl for Cadence. “The student council voted for it. Now here, eat.”

You listen to the student council?

Cadence had the good sense to keep that last question in, instead accepting the offered bowl. Taco salad was not at all within her diet, but the same old rule of Crystal Prep held firm. One did not refuse Cinch anything.

Every instinct in Cadence’s brain screamed their warnings. This was too strange. Too big of a coincidence. A trap was closing around her.

She hid her anxiety behind the first few bites as her brain muffled the screams. No trap would be half as dangerous as exciting Cinch’s suspicions, and a sudden burst of defiance would do just that.

The salad was good, at least, though she wasn’t hungry at all. Cadence looked up from it to see her principal still standing. Cinch offered a rare smirk before turning to her desk. “I will be with you shortly, Dean Cadence. Continue eating.”

Cadence obliged. Her stomach seemed to take the hint, welcoming the food and growling for more. Odd, to be so hungry this early, but while Cinch examined a paper on her desk Cadence helped herself to a second serving. 

Then a third. The soft clap of shoes on linoleum brought her gaze up to see Cinch finally returning to the table.

“Is it good?” Cinch asked, the odd smirk still on her face.

“Oh, yes.” Cadence bobbed her head with the words. “Kind of… sweet and spicy at the same time. What’s the seasoning?”

“Look closely.”

Cadence obeyed, peering into the mess of corn and meat. Standard taco fare… save for the odd red strings dangled throughout. Tomatoes, she thought initially, but now that she looked again they seemed too thin and runny. Even now one slid from the edge of her spoon…

And curled back onto it, wiggling between the pieces of ground beef.

“Brain worms.” Cinch waved dismissively. “Continue eating while we work. Tell me this: what do you think our chances are of getting the Friendship Games Committee to overturn the results?”

Hopeless, of course. Cadence explained it between bites, doubting the committee would even investigate. They would just ask the school board, who would cheerfully share their own verdict.

Cinch paid serious attention to the words, then asked, “What about Miss Celestia? Have you seen her recently?”

“Yes,” Cadence said. Panic she could not explain exploded in her chest. She rose quickly, stammering something about–

“Stop,” Cinch said.

Cadence stopped.

“Sit down, and relax.” Cinch descended to the opposite chair as Cadence fell into hers with a sleepy grin. “You’re not in trouble, Miss Cadence. Mistakes were made. However, I do expect you to keep in mind from now on that as my dean of students, it is your duty to act loyally in my interests. Do I make myself clear?”

Cadence shuffled, embarrassed despite her relaxation. Cinch was the principal – her boss. It was a basic responsibility of the job to serve her needs, and Cadence screwed up big-time.

At least the principal seemed to be in a forgiving mood. “Yes, Miss Cinch,” Cadence intoned.

“Good,” Cinch announced. “Now tell me both what you told her, and what she told you. We’ll see if we can’t…”

Her smirk turned to a sharp-toothed smile. “…Settle things between us. It’s still early, after all. If we finish soon, there might be time to have her over for lunch.”