//------------------------------//
// Lean on Mi Amore 
// Story: Reformation Brigade 
// by Metool Bard 
//------------------------------//

Sunset spent the walk to Dean Cadence's office trying to mentally prepare herself for the meeting.  As she rounded the corner, she braced herself for the onslaught of angry banter.  However, this time around, things were quite peaceful.  Not a peep was heard from Cadence's office, and Slitherquick was nowhere to be seen.  Sunset breathed out a sigh of relief.

Thank goodness for small favors, she thought. The last thing I need is Ms. Slitherquick getting on my case again.

She sauntered up to the door and raised her hand to knock.

"Shouldn't you be in class?"

Sunset froze, her eye twitching involuntarily.  She didn't even bother to turn around to address Professor Flypaper, who was now standing behind her.

"With all due respect, Professor Flypaper, I am not in the mood for this," she grumbled. "I need to speak to Dean Cadence about something."

"Does your professor know about this?" Flypaper inquired.

"I just came here from my last class, so no," said Sunset frankly. "I'll tell her later."  She then shot Flypaper a dark look. "And before you ask, no, I'm not going to tell you why I'm meeting with the Dean.  It's none of your business."

Flypaper flinched slightly. "I wasn't going to ask, Ms. Shimmer."

Sunset blinked and turned around. "Huh?"

"You're absolutely right, Ms. Shimmer.  Whatever you discuss with Dean Cadence is solely your prerogative," Flypaper stated simply. "Trust me, I may be harsh, but I'm not like Ms. Slitherquick."

"But, what about yesterday?" asked Sunset. "You were getting on Dean Cadence's case about security protocol."

Flypaper sighed. "That was a mistake on my part.  I was under the impression that she knew about the new protocol, and for whatever reason, she didn't go through the official channels to request exemption.  But as it turns out, she simply did not get the memo."

Sunset stared blankly at Flypaper, unsure of how to respond to that. "Huh."  She scratched her head. "Well, what is Ms. Slitherquick's problem with Dean Cadence, anyway?"

Flypaper narrowed his eyes. "I am a man of science, Ms. Shimmer.  It is not my place to exchange idle gossip, especially when it's frankly none of your concern.  Besides, I really should be going to my next class.  Take care, Ms. Shimmer."

With a nod, he walked away.  Sunset watched him leave, baffled by the surprisingly civil exchange she just had with him.  After shrugging it off, she turned back to the door and raised her hand to knock.

"And just what do you think you're doing here, young lady?"

Sunset let out a groan, slamming her head against the door with a dull thud.

"I just can't get a break, can I?" she growled.

"That implies you deserve one," said Slitherquick, leaning on her cane. "You should be in class right now."

Sunset's face darkened as she turned to look at Slitherquick. "I just got through telling Professor Flypaper that I wanted to meet with Dean Cadence first," she said plainly. "And guess what?  He was kind enough not to lecture me about it.  So, if you could just follow his example and go somewhere else, that'd be great, thanks."

Slitherquick gasped. "Such insolence!  Didn't anyone at Canterlot High teach you to respect your elders?"

Sunset pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ms. Slitherquick, I am at a very low ebb right now.  Please don't push me."

"I'm not afraid of you, witch," Slitherquick said with a sneer. "I'm on to your little game.  You and Cadence are conspiring to destroy everything Principal Cinch has built.  And one way or another, I will expose you two for what you truly are."

Sunset let out an angry snort. "I don't need this," she stated, turning around.  Slitherquick scowled, maneuvering around Sunset and blocking the entrance to Cadence's office.

"There's no escape for you, girl," she said coldly. "It's only a matter of time before your entire scheme unravels.  And when it does, I will be there to watch you—"

A distinct chime sounded from Sunset's pocket.  She took out her cellphone.  There was a button marked "Nope!" on the screen, with a doodle of Discord decorating the edges.  Sunset sighed.

"Excuse me, Ms. Slitherquick.  I have to take this."

With only a moment's hesitation, she tapped the button.  Straight away, a trapdoor opened from beneath Slitherquick's feet.  With a shriek, she fell through, landing with a large splash.  The door to Cadence's office swung open, and Cadence took a quick look around.  Once she saw the trapdoor and Sunset standing before it, she deadpanned.

"Slitherquick?" she asked.

Sunset sighed. "Slitherquick."

Dean Cadence let out a sigh of her own, giving Sunset a chiding look. "Sunset, we talked about this.  It's not that I'm ungrateful or anything; I don't want Slitherquick poking her nose where it doesn't belong any more than you do.  Nevertheless, you can't keep abusing your magic like this.  This isn't just about Cinch, mind you.  You of all people should know that your powers are too dangerous to be used willy-nilly."

At that moment, Sunset received a text from Discord.

"Just tell her the truth."

Sunset looked down at her phone for a moment, then up at Cadence.  Finally, she let out a defeated sigh and hung her head.

"Dean Cadence, that wasn't me," she said.

Cadence raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I-I mean I haven't been telling you everything," Sunset murmured.  At that moment, a dam inside her broke, and everything simply rushed out at once. "I-I didn't mean to lie to you.  I wanted to tell you everything, honest.  But I kept getting preoccupied, and I wasn't sure if you'd understand anyway, and looking back it was actually kinda dumb of me to hide this, but—"

Cadence cut across Sunset by holding up her hand.  Her stern expression had softened into a concerned frown.

"Sunset, do as I do," she said calmly. "Deep breath in..."

She took in a deep breath, placing a hand to her chest.  Sunset did the same.

"And let it out."

She exhaled, extending her arm as she did so.  Sunset followed her movements exactly.

"Now, why don't you come inside and tell me what's on your mind?" Cadence offered.

After a pause, Sunset nodded and complied. "O-okay."


***


Once she sat down, Sunset told Cadence all about her experience the past few days.  Discord's assistance, the magic sensors, the changes in Sonata's behavior, and especially what happened during Wind Rider's gym class.  She poured her heart out, making sure not to leave out a single detail.  All the while, Cadence listened intently, and she didn't interrupt her once.  Once Sunset was finished, Cadence cleared her throat.

"Well, first of all, if your friend Discord really is helping, I suppose that explains what's been happening to Ms. Slitherquick," she mused. "But what I don't understand is why you felt the need to hide this from me."

"Precisely because of what's been happening to Ms. Slitherquick," said Sunset sheepishly, rubbing her arm. "I don't doubt that Discord's heart is in the right place, but you've probably figured out that his idea of helping is, well, controversial to say the least.  Even when I talk to him and ask him to be subtle, he just does whatever he wants.  And seeing as you already have so much to worry about, I didn't want to worry you further."

Cadence shook her head. "Sunset, I appreciate your concern, but you shouldn't feel the need to lie to me in order to protect me.  I already told you; this is my burden just as much as it is yours."  A small smirk appeared on her face. "Besides, it seems to me that you have plenty of worries of your own.  There's no need for you to make this harder on yourself."

Sunset blushed and cast her gaze downward. "Yeah, you're right about that.  I-I'm sorry.  I probably should've told you sooner, but I just didn't know how you'd take it.  Plus, well, I've been pretty busy staying on top of everything."

"I've gathered," said Cadence. "Just promise me that there will be no more secrets between us, okay?  Remember, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong."

Sunset let out a sad scoff. "I'm afraid Discord is well out of anyone's control, Dean Cadence.  But, I understand what you mean."  She laughed again. "Honestly, I'm surprised I'm saying this, but Discord is actually the least of my problems right now."

"Indeed," said Cadence solemnly.  She knitted her brow. "I'm very sorry to hear about what happened in Gym Class.  Rest assured, I will have some words for Professor Rider later.  His response to Sonata's injury was simply unacceptable."

"I'm more worried about the Shadowbolts," said Sunset.  She sniffled, and a single tear rolled down her cheek. "I should've said something to them.  I was in that situation before with my own friends back at Canterlot High.  I knew exactly what to say to get them to stop fighting.  But, I was just in complete shock over what happened to Aria, and I simply couldn't think straight.  Even if I could, these past few days have just been so, stressful."

"Is the schoolwork too difficult for you?" asked Cadence.

"That's just it.  I can handle the schoolwork," said Sunset frankly. "I was a very studious pony back in Equestria; this kind of workload isn't exactly new to me.  But you know it's not just the workload I'm concerned about.  I'm also looking after the Sirens, and trying to keep Discord from blowing up the school, and trying to figure out Principal Cinch's agenda for the Shadowbolts.  I mean, I'm not doing all this by myself, thank goodness, but just trying to keep track of everything has left me drained."

She heaved a great sigh, allowing a few more tears to escape her eyes. "And now, well, I almost feel like I have to go it alone.  Discord can't enter the school without setting off those sensors, Sonata isn't herself, the Shadowbolts are fighting amongst themselves, Adagio still doesn't trust me, and I don't even know what's going to happen to Aria.  I-I don't know what I'm going to do."

After a brief pause, Cadence reached over to a box of tissues on her desk.  She deftly plucked one from the box and offered it to Sunset.

"You don't have to do this alone, Sunset," she said warmly. "I can see how your experience here has been exhausting.  You should probably take some time to recharge and clear your head.  Now, I'm not asking you to stop altogether.  You don't strike me as the kind of person to give up, anyway.  However, I'm sure ponies need breaks just as much as humans do."

Sunset took a moment to dry her face before giving Cadence a quizzical look. "Then, what should I do?"

"How about you let me take over for the rest of the day?" Cadence offered. "I'll speak to Principal Cinch about Aria and Professor Rider.  For now, you just focus on your studies and keep being a good friend.  Do you think you can do that?"

Sunset sniffled and nodded. "I-I'll try.  By the way, did you talk to Principal Cinch about Sonata?"

Cadence's face darkened as she shook her head. "I tried, but she just blew me off.  She said it was only a minor infraction, but after hearing what you've just told me, I'm not so sure."

Sunset frowned. "And you're saying that I shouldn't be worried about this?"

"Not at all," Cadence assured her. "It's perfectly natural for you to be worried.  All I'm asking is that you take some comfort in the knowledge that I'll be handling this, at least for the rest of the day.  That way, you don't overwhelm yourself trying to stay on top of everything at once."

Sunset paused to think for a moment before nodding. "Okay, I think I get it."  She then smiled. "Thanks for listening, Dean Cadence.  I really needed to get all that off my chest."

"That's what I'm here for," said Cadence, smiling back.  She quickly checked the schedule on her computer. "Be sure to let Professor Hemline know that you were here to see me.  She shouldn't ask too many questions."

"I will," said Sunset. "And please, let me know if you find out anything, okay?"

"Certainly," said Cadence, giving Sunset a sly wink. "After all, no more secrets between us, right?"

Sunset chuckled despite herself. "Right.  Again, I'm really sorry about that."

"You're forgiven," said Cadence. "Take it easy, Sunset."

Sunset got up and went for the door.  Before she left, she turned her head.

"Dean Cadence?"

"Yes?"

Sunset bit her lip. "What do you think I should do about Adagio?  I keep trying to be nice to her, but she just won't trust me."

Cadence shrugged. "Well, you know what they say.  You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make her drink.  Um, no offense."

"None taken," said Sunset.  She then sighed. "Even so, it just bothers me to see her being so hostile towards me when all I want to do is help."

"I know that feeling all too well," said Cadence sagely. "Just let her know that whenever she is ready to walk through that door, you'll be there for her.  That's really all you can do.  Heck, that's basically my job description."

Sunset let out another laugh. "Right.  I'll keep that in mind.  Thanks again, Dean Cadence."

"Anytime," said Cadence with a warm smile.

As soon as Sunset left, Cadence's smile faded.

"Right.  Now, hopefully, I can get some real answers from Abacus," she mused.  She got up from her desk and swiftly left her office.


***


"I guess it's only fair.  I'm the only one who cares about them, so it's my job to go get them.  So much for us being in this together."

Indigo Zap marched through the corridors of Crystal Prep, grumbling and muttering to herself.  She was so caught up in her bitterness, she didn't pay any mind to passers-by or where she was going.  Only when she managed to catch sight of Principal Cinch's door in her peripheral vision did she stop in her tracks.

"Wait.  Sh-she couldn't have," she said, brow furrowing. "Could she?  I mean, there was no announcement or anything, but..."

After pondering for a while, she tentatively shuffled over to Cinch's door and raised her hand to knock.  Before she could, however, she heard a sweet, familiar voice.

"Indigo?  Is everything okay?"

Indigo jumped slightly. "O-oh!  Dean Cadence.  H-hey."  She cleared her throat and took out her hall pass. "Just looking for a couple of students playing hooky.  You wouldn't happen to know where Sunset and Adagio are, would you?"

"Well, I just met with Sunset a few minutes ago.  She needed to speak with me about some concerns she's been having," said Cadence.  She then knitted her brow. "However, I haven't seen Adagio Dazzle all day."

Indigo sighed. "Figures.  I really hope she didn't just decide to up and leave.  Professor Hemline would not be happy about that, and knowing my luck, she'll probably take it out on me."

Cadence tilted her head. "Indigo, is something wrong?"

"Wh-what?  Nah, it's nothing," said Indigo.  She crossed her arms and leaned back against the wall. "Just having a crummy day, that's all."

Cadence walked over next to Indigo. "Do you want to talk about it?  It looks to me like you could use a friend."

Indigo scoffed. "Well, at least you seem to get that.  Unlike some other people I could mention."

Cadence frowned. "Did you get into a fight with your friends?"

Indigo looked up at Cadence. "It's that obvious, huh?"

"You never were good at hiding things," Cadence replied.

Indigo let out another sigh and stared at the ground for a while. "Did Sunset tell you about what happened in Gym Class?"

"She might have," said Cadence ambiguously.

Indigo's face darkened as the grip around her folded arms tightened. "Well, here's basically what happened.  We were playing dodgeball, and Sonata ended up getting hurt.  We stopped the game to give her some breathing room, but as soon as she got to her feet, Professor Rider says we have to keep playing."

"Oh dear," said Cadence, genuinely concerned. "That sounds horrible."

"It gets worse," Indigo growled. "See, I didn't want to put her in danger, right?  So I said, 'Hey, how about we don't turn into heartless monsters and let Sonata get to safety before we start the game again?'  But Professor Rider wasn't having it.  And then, everyone else started getting on my case like I was the bad guy!  'Oh, we shouldn't disobey the teachers!  I don't wanna get in trouble!'  Seriously, did no one learn anything from the Friendship Games?!"

Cadence sighed. "I'm pretty sure that isn't the case, Indigo.  After all, I remember a time when you would simply soldier on without concern for others.  But look at you now."

"Yeah, but I feel like I'm the only one," Indigo griped. "I mean, everyone else keeps telling me they're on my side, but they certainly don't act like it.  Sugarcoat never has anything positive to say, Sour Sweet is always either sarcastic or constantly changing her mind, Sunny Flare feels the need to say everything in over-the-top dramatic prose, and Lemon Zest never says anything 'cause apparently, she thinks her music is more important than us trying to fix our school!  I can't rely on any of them!"

"Yes, I can certainly see how that would be frustrating," Cadence mused. "But answer me this, Indigo.  Out of all the Shadowbolts, which one was the first to say that Crystal Prep needed to change for the better?"

Indigo shrugged. "I-I dunno.  We were just talking about it one day, and suddenly, we all agreed that something had to be done."

"And do you think that would've happened if the others didn't care about the well-being of the school?"

Indigo bit her lip. "I-I guess not."

Cadence smiled before staring off into space. "You have to understand something Indigo.  When you five first came to me with that petition for the school-exchange program, it was quite a pleasant surprise.  I've been Dean of Students at this school for quite some time, but I had never seen a collaborative effort quite like that."

"Y-yeah," Indigo said sheepishly. "I mean, I know what it was like before the Games.  We all had to keep our eyes on the ball, y'know?  There was nothing else.  We didn't think about anyone else because we felt we couldn't afford to."

"But now, things are changing," Cadence said sagely. "And you five are trying to accomplish something that has never been done at this school before."  She looked over at Indigo, raising an eyebrow. "Don't you think that would make anyone anxious?  Just a little bit?"

Indigo made a face. "No.  I refuse to accept that my friends are a bunch of cowards.  I-it's just not in them."

"Things aren't so black-and-white, Indigo," said Cadence. "Being scared doesn't make you a coward.  Everyone has their own fears and anxieties, and ignoring them doesn't make them go away."

Indigo scoffed. "Yeah, right.  Like you're afraid of anything."

Cadence chuckled. "You'd be surprised, Indigo.  Look, the point is that you certainly hear a lot when your friends talk.  Why not actually try listening to what they're saying?  Understand where they're coming from."

Indigo sucked in a breath through her teeth as she took a moment to mull over Cadence's words. "Well..."

Just then, the door to Cinch's office opened.  Aria emerged, a dark scowl emblazoned on her face.  Like Sonata, her skin was paler than usual, and her eyes were glazed.  Her arms were crossed, and she was gripping at them intensely.

"Oh.  Aria," said Indigo, clearing her throat. "Um, you doing okay?"

Aria mumbled something incoherent.

"Uh, what?"

Aria mumbled again.

"Didn't quite catch that."

Aria looked up at Indigo and snorted. "I said m'fine," she growled.

Already, Indigo felt as though warning bells were going off in her head. "Uh, you told Cinch about Professor Rider, right?"

"Sure," Aria grumbled, averting her eyes.

"And, is she gonna do anything about it?"

Aria shrugged her shoulders. "Don't know, don't care."

Cadence sighed. "Aria, didn't you complain to me yesterday about how Sonata wouldn't open up to you?  Why are you doing this?"

Aria scrunched her eyes shut, her knuckles turning white as she clutched at her arms. "J-just leave me alone.  I don't have time for this; I need to get to class."

She started marching off.  Indigo scratched her head.

"Um, Aria?  You're heading for the nurse's office," she said. "Class is the other way."

Aria grunted and did an about-face. "I-I knew that," she murmured.

Cadence paused to think for a moment. "Aria, if you're worried about Sonata, I can go check on her if you want."

Aria's shoulders became tense as she vigorously shook her head. "Sh-she'll be fine.  She was always f-fine.  I'm fine."

Indigo frowned. "Aria, what's going on?"

Aria shot Indigo a glare. "Mind your own business," she snarled.  And with that, she marched off to class.  Indigo clenched her fist.

"Okay, that's it."  She rapped her knuckle against the door.  Slitherquick answered her, droplets of water dripping from her hair and clothes.  She glowered at Dean Cadence.

"I'm afraid Principal Cinch is preoccupied," she stated bluntly. "Come back later.  Or never."

She was about to close the door when Indigo stopped her.

"No dice, Ms. Slitherquick," she said darkly. "We need to speak to Cinch now."

Slitherquick leered at Indigo. "I don't take instructions from you, punk.  Now clear—"

"It's alright, Slitherquick.  I can meet with Cadence briefly."

Slitherquick blinked before shuffling out of the way, allowing Cinch to emerge.  Dean Cadence folded her arms.

"I take it Aria has told you about what happened in Gym Class?" she asked rhetorically.

"She has," Cinch replied. "I will be sure to speak to Professor Rider about proper safety procedure."

Indigo's eyes went wide. "What, that's it?  You're just going to give him a slap on the wrist?!"

"I do not approve of his actions any more than you do, Indigo Zap," said Cinch plainly. "However, I feel that Ms. Blaze's response was out of line."

"She was trying to protect her friends."

"And that somehow makes it permissible for her to threaten violence against the faculty?"

Indigo balled up her hands into fists and began to tremble. "What did you do to her?"

Cinch raised an eyebrow. "I, beg your pardon?"

"You did something to Aria!  I know you did something to her!" Indigo roared. "Just like you did something to Sonata yesterday!  What did you do?!"

Cinch stood her ground, towering over Indigo. "I don't know where you're getting these bizarre fantasies, Indigo Zap, but I assure you, Ms. Dusk and Ms. Blaze have merely been reprimanded for their actions.  Nothing more, nothing less.  Besides which, it isn't your business."

"They're my friends!  I'm making it my business!" Indigo barked, pounding her fist into her palm. "Now either you tell me what you did to them, or I'll—"

"Indigo, stop."

Indigo flinched as a hand gently grabbed her shoulder.  She looked up at Dean Cadence, who shook her head.

"This isn't the way," she admonished. "In fact, this is exactly what got Aria in trouble."

"How do you know that?!" Indigo screamed, tears streaming down her face. "Cinch just wanted an excuse to punish her for using magic!  It's not fair!"

Cadence sighed and looked up at Cinch. "I'm sorry about this, Principal Cinch.  Indigo has been having a rough day.  I'll straighten this out."

Cinch nodded. "Understood, Dean Cadence."  She then gave Indigo a stern look. "Count yourself lucky that Dean Cadence is far more forgiving than I am, Indigo Zap.  I see now why Professor Rider was so disappointed in your behavior."

She walked back into her office and closed the door.  Indigo let out a yell and punched the door with all her might.  Cadence gently squeezed Indigo's shoulder.

"I share your frustrations, Indigo.  Believe me, I do," she said somberly. "Do you need to take some time to decompress?"

Indigo sniffled, brushing her nose before letting out a sigh. "I-I still need to find Adagio for Professor Hemline."

"Why don't we look for her together?" Cadence suggested. "In fact, I'd bet anything that she's still looking after Sonata in the nurse's office."

Indigo paused for a moment before nodding. "Th-that actually sounds good.  I-I could really use someone right now."

Cadence gave Indigo a warm smile. "That's why I'm here."

With that, the two of them made their way down the hall.


***


"She's onto us, Principal Cinch.  You should've used the device to strip her of that corrupting magic right then and there!"

Cinch shook her head. "She was just letting her emotions get the better of her, Slitherquick."

"Besides, if she was corrupted by magic, my devices would've spotted it," Flypaper added.

Slitherquick scowled. "I notice they didn't spot when Sunset Shimmer cast that hex on me."

Flypaper crossed his arms. "I'm looking into that, alright?  It's not like I have a lot of free time to dedicate to this project."

"You're absolutely right, Professor Flypaper," said Cinch circling to her desk. "Which is why I greatly appreciate you being a good sport about all this."

Flypaper cleared his throat. "Well, thank you, Principal Cinch.  I'm certainly glad that you appreciate all the hard work I've done to meet your, shall we say, interesting requests."

Slitherquick arched an eyebrow. "And just what is that supposed to mean?"

Flypaper sighed. "I am a man of science, Ms. Slitherquick.  These matters of the arcane are well outside my area of expertise.  But, a true scientist doesn't reach a conclusion until the experiment is done.  Though I hypothesize that as long as you keep poking your nose where it doesn't belong, all of our efforts will be undone."

Slitherquick clutched at her cane. "Why you—"

"He's right, Slitherquick," said Cinch, pressing her fingers together. "Your actions are only prompting Dean Cadence and our Canterlot High guests to ask more questions.  We can't reveal our hand just yet.  Not until I'm fully certain that I can without causing an incident.  Is that understood?"

Slitherquick growled. "Yes, Principal Cinch."

"Both of you, dismissed."

Slitherquick and Flypaper left Cinch alone in her office.  She reached under her desk and opened the drawer.  This time, there were two glowing lights inside; one blue and one magenta.

If this truly is an experiment to you, Professor Flypaper, then I am quite satisfied with the results so far, she mused. And there is but one foregone conclusion: This is my school, and I am in control...