//------------------------------// // 1. The Artist's Dilemma // Story: The Good Fight // by CoyoteXray //------------------------------// The line had moved along this particular morning without much drama. Line them up, right turn or left, chin up and smile. It was all pretty routine looking she thought, at least to the casual observer. 'If only they knew what they were looking at,' she thought, 'then they could see the craft involved, the quest for the right pose, that it in reality it all isn't random.' Not that it mattered to most of her subjects. By now, they had expected to be spared such an indignity as this. After all, it would only be later in life that missing out on a yearbook picture would actually be noted, of course far too late to be rectified. So the stragglers slowly shuffled along and got it over with, some actually managing some sort of smile. The photographer paused for a moment, and checked her phone. Almost there, she thought. Her last subject finally shuffled forward and took her position centered between the lights. The artist maneuvered her subject into position with hand signals until she got it just right. She then moved back behind the camera to make the final adjustments…and she noticed him. She couldn’t decipher the words that were said, but there was no way to continue as the large male suddenly walked in from out of nowhere and took over the scene in front of her. She gave a clearly audible groan, and tried to distract herself as the whole debacle played out. Once again she checked her phone, cursing her bad fortune. She looked again and noticed that the boy was blocking the girl in between the camera and the wall. She stepped back and paced for a moment, taking a moment to adjust her tie before she turned back, having finally lost her patience. “So, are you gonna make me work for this, cause I’m telling you that I can give you something Shimmer can’t even dream of,” the male said, his face less than a foot away from his quarry. Twilight Sparkle leaned over to try and spot the photographer before straightening up and answering, “Oh...well yes, I suppose that’s true. But, what if I’m not in the market for some…thing…like that?” “Hey, it’s biology babe. Settling for anything less is just unscientific. I understand that you’re a bit conflicted about it. But…” he said leaning in closer, “…I bet I can change your mind.” Twilight had by now run out of room for retreat as the brick wall’s rougher edges dug into her left shoulder. “What do you…” the male began, but he suddenly yelped and jumped in place as a something hit his right calf. He looked down at the ground for a moment before spotting the culprit, a small rock. He only then glanced over his shoulder and actually took note of the photographer, who was carefully examining another potential projectile in her hand. “Oh…I am zooo sorry,” she said as she noticed his stare, “did somezing I do break your cooncentration? A thouzand pardons. I guess I must have forgotten zhat I waz only shtanding here stlickly for your amuzement.” He turned from his intended to face his new adversary. “You’ve got a big mouth there Helga,” he growled. “And you’ve got a low I.Q... but that iz not the point!,” Photo Finish fired back, moving from behind her camera tripod and approaching him directly, “Vhat exactly does your mind think iz going on here? Lightz, camera…really?" she asked, gesturing to her equipment. "Try doing zhe math! We are here to take a yearbook picture, not to indulge your little fantazys! So… GET OUT OF MY ZHOT!” Twilight watched the whole scene with growing concern as the imposing male approached her benefactor. He was at least a solid foot taller than his female opponent, and he made sure to get close enough so she would feel the full effect before continuing. “In case you failed to notice, little Miss Feminazi, the lady and I are conducting a little negotiation here, and I couldn’t care less about your precious picture. So wait your damn turn.” Photo crossed her arms, her reply deceptively calm as she answered, “Little boy, let me schpell it out for you. I have 10 minutez from now, give or take, to finish thiz project, given to me by zhe principal, put away my equipment, and get to clazz. Mizz Schparkle is the last picture I need to get, and you are in my vay. As to your negoshiation thingy, I could not care less, as I am aware that she already haz a date on prom night. Zo you are not only wasting my time, which is bad enough, but also yourz and herz!” The male was unimpressed, and put his hand on her shoulder, his fingers running back and forth over her shoulder blades before replying, “Small price to pay. Now I’m not sure how you Huns handle situations like this, but over here we are actually allowed to change our minds about who we associate with. Maybe if you weren’t such a damn stuck up prude you’d understand that.” He made sure to look her straight in the eyes, or at least he tried. Even this close he really couldn’t see them behind her glasses. Perhaps that was the point of wearing them, he thought. She turned her head slightly, and looked down at his hand on her shoulder, then looked back at him and replied, “Let go of me...now.” “Fair enough,” he answered as he removed his hand, “But if you plan to stick around this country, I suggest you get with the program Eva. Otherwise, you might be better off back on the banks of the Danube.” “Oh, aren’t you the clever boy,” she replied sarcastically, and then added in a low voice, “an annoying pain in the azz, but clever.” “GOT IT! Thank you Miss Sparkle!” The two combatants both turned back towards the set as a young gentleman came out from behind the camera and escorted Twilight to the side and let her get her bag before she hastily departed. “Hey you little weed, I was talking to her!” the larger male yelled. The younger smaller male brought his hands together and replied, “uh no, you were talking to her,” pointing to Photo Finish, “and I figured that we needed to get the picture, and she needed to get to class, so I just decided to go ahead and crack on.” “Vhat?” Photo asked, and she quickly rushed over to her camera to check the result. She punched a few buttons and found the young man’s work. She studied it for a moment in the display and nodded her head. “Yez…yez, I zink I can use this,” she said, and then turned to her assistant and smiled, “Zhank you Pip.” “A pleasure,” he replied. The other male gave a frustrated sigh, and threw his head back in disgust. “Zo, I guess the problem is zolved,” Photo said with a sneer as she turned back to the larger male. “Now we can get to class, and you can do whatever it is that you do…ztart firez, kick little puppies…vhatever it is that amuzes you.” “Yeah sure Eva,” he answered and then added in a lower voice as he turned away, “Rotten little kraut.” “And...would you PLEAZE ztop mikzing up your stupid metaphorz!” she called after him, “The Danube one was right; the Kraut talk iz wrong...period!” Her adversary turned back and replied, “Austrian huh? Yeah sure, so was Hitler.” “So what,” came a reply from the other male in the conversation, “…so was Mozart.” The older male looked over to the younger male, walked closer, and then bent over till he was face to face and asked, “You got something to say weed?” The younger student recoiled back slightly as the larger person took over the scene in front of him, but quickly recovered and looked his opponent straight in the eye and replied, “They call me Pip by the way.” The other male chuckled to himself, and replied “And what on earth makes you think that I care what you’re called.” He then turned and walked away. As soon as he left, Pip let lose a long sigh, and bowed his head. He took a couple of deep breaths and muttered under his breath, “Wanker.” “Hey!” Photo said, snapping her fingers, “Get back with ze program!” Pip looked to her, and then at the equipment still awaiting him, and replied, “Oh...right.” He then turned towards the lights and began the process of taking them down and bagging them. In a matter of minutes, Photo had her camera bag loaded and looked back to her assistant, who was already working on the second light. “Zhat waz a very clever cooment there. I waz not thinking of Mozart,” she said to Pip. “Oh indeed,” he replied, “Hummph…apparently neither did he.” “Oh…vell," Photo replied, “do not get cocky. I probably could have come up with zomevhing.” Pip nodded. “I have no doubt of that,” he answered. He then turned to her and asked, “I’m surprised though that you intervened. I didn’t know you and Sparkle were mates.” “Ve aren’t, not really. But zomeone had to zomezhing,” Photo answered with evident frustration, “Schparkle is a good girl, but...she is too nice. Hmmph... I svear zhat girl would not zay scheiße if she had a mouthful. And...zhat boy was just…hanging on her like zhat…” She paused, and took a deep breath, and then said, “Let us go now.” Pip quickly picked up the lighting and the tripod and moved to join her as she marched off towards the door. “Well,” Pip spoke, “Are you going to do the touchup yourself, or let one of the others handle it?” Photo puzzled over the question for only a minute before answering, “Ve vill have to handle it ourselves. Unfortunately zhe otherz are not available on short notice, and it is due by zhe evening anyvay.” Pip thought about it and stopped short. “We?” he asked. Photo paused, and turned back towards Pip and asked, “You have zomething better to do?” Pip looked back at her dumbfounded. “You do realize it’s going to take an absolute age do a proper job I hope?” he responded. Photo paused before the door, and turned back to Pip and replied, “Oh pleaze…we are not going to be reinventing ze veel here. And vhat of it? It vill take vhatever it takes. A true professional never zettles for any half baked verk. And yez... I oonderstand that most of these people do not care vhat they look like in theze pictures . But I do, because the pictures not only reflect on them as soobjects, but on me az photographer. Are we clear?” Pip crossed his arms and pondered a moment, smiled, and nodded. Then he picked up the tripod again, climbed the steps, opened the door, and ushered Photo into the building. The images flashed past as she scrolled through the file. It was there somewhere, she thought, hidden in the midst of so much fluff. How could it not stand out? The background was distinct, she should see it clearly. She bowed her head and took a deep breath… “PHOTO FINISH…!!” She jumped, almost knocking her tablet off the table. She looked around frantically and found someone next to her with a rolled up paper aimed into her face calling… “PHOTO FINISH…MARS CALLING…SURRENDER NOW…MARS NEEDS WOMEN!!” She reached up quickly and pulled the obstruction away to see the face of her friend Pixel Pizzaz, who immediately burst out laughing. “Oh Photo, that was classic!” she managed to spill out between belly laughs, “You looked like you were going to piss yourself.” Photo groaned and immediately homed in on the other sound she heard, and found Violet Blurr on her other side, leaning in close. Photo raised her arm and pointed to her, saying “Not one verd.” Violet tried to conceal her mirth, and immediately drew her closed fist across her mouth. Photo set her tablet down on the table, and it was only then that she glanced around and realized what she was looking at. “How long have you two been here exactly?” she asked. “Oh…hours,” Violet replied as planted her elbow on the table and rested her head, “Photo my friend, you know we are truly sisters, the three of us. But I just have to ask…do you ever actually eat when you come to the cafeteria?” Photo looked back to her tray, and her untouched enchilada. ‘Why did she even get that’, she thought. “I waz diztracted,” she finally answered curtly. “I’ll say,” Pixel answered, “Probably still thinking about the morning. Speaking of which, when did you start picking fights with Bold Venture?” Photo scowled. “Oh please, I waz not ‘picking a fight’,” she answered, air quotes included, “He was being a smarmy pain in the rear, and I let him know it. And vhat did I get for my effort…he callz me a Nazi!” She gave a frustrated grunt. “That little boy vould not know a Nazi if a braunhemden came up behind him and shooved a jackboot up his azz.” The other girls recoiled back a bit at that remark, and Violet looked to Pixel. “Well, I’m not sure I want to test that theory. Braunhemden sounds like a sanitation worker.” Violet replied. “Yeah, I’m betting the brown part is a good first clue,” Pixel answered, and both girls burst out laughing. Photo simply threw her head back and gave them an eye roll, or so they thought and finally took some interest in her food. The other girls decided it was a good time to get in a bite, and the group ate quietly for a few minutes before Pixel broke the silence. “But to the matter at hand, or…whatever,” she announced, “Photo, we have an announcement.” Pixel signaled Violet, who leaned in close to Photo, and announced, “We’re getting the band back together.” Photo thought about it for a moment. “Ze band?” she asked, “Ze band? You mean our band? Vhy would you want to do zhat? We lost zhat coompetition…we even got beaten by zhe blasted Dazzlingz.” The other girls looked to each other and wagged their heads. “Photo…so what?” Violet responded with a grin, “Yeah sure we didn’t win. But it’s not like the ‘Dazzlings’ didn’t have just a bit more experience for crying out loud. And come on, you can’t tell me with a straight face that you didn’t love being out on stage. And I know for certain that there are at least three of the hotter musicians in this place that would love to back us up. And there IS a demand for our talents out there..." She paused, and not seeing the response she expected added, "Aww...come on, it’s a great opportunity and we can’t move on this without our lead singer…” Photo lowered her head and scratched her chin while she puzzled over the idea. When she looked back, the other two were just watching her intently. She recoiled back a bit, and said with a groan, “Pleaze…shpare me the puppy dog eyez. All right…all right, we can pozzibly do this.” The other two looked to each other and smiled. “Photo Finish and the Snapshots…" Violet said with a big smile, and added in a lower register, "...together again." before she stood up and reached out to Pixel and gave her a high five while Photo simply smiled and sighed. Photo managed to get through the rest of the noon hour without any further complications, and finally could proceed with her day. She marched her way down the hallway to her locker, the crowd seeming to part before her as she went. At least, that’s what she told herself. It may have been just an ego trip, but she didn’t care. There was too much to do to waste time on trivialities. As she rounded the bend, she spotted her first challenge of the afternoon, a certain pink haired girl, with a very expensive camera. She was chatting away rather loudly with a girl with multihued hair that she recognized as the captain of the j.v. soccer team. She paused a moment to watch the scene as the pink haired girl seemed to send her arms in twelve different directions at once while she conversed without the slightest thought to the camera in her hand. Photo’s heart sank, and she rushed forward and grabbed the girls arm with one hand, all while wrapping her other arm around the camera. “Oh hi Photo, you would not believe some of the pictures I got at the tournament. They are sooo awesome!” Pinkie exclaimed, seeming not to notice what Photo had done. “Hey Photo,” Rainbow Dash said, “There a problem?” Photo gave a frustrated grunt and turned to face Pinkie. “I would love to zee your picturez Mizz Pie,” she said through gritted teeth, pulling the camera out of her hand, “But that will not happen if you deshtroy the camera before you get it back to download zhe contents!” She took hold of the camera, lens towards her, with both hands, and handed it back to Pinkie. When the other girl had taken hold of it with both hands, Photo brought the strap around and looped it over Pinkie’s head. “And use the shtrap, that is vhat it’z there for,” she ordered. “It iz much too late in the shkool year to break a camera. Do you undershtand me?” Pinkie looked up and made eye contact, her blush clearly showing her embarrassment, and answered, “Right…got it.” “Zhank you,” Photo replied. Photo then turned to leave, and as she did so Pinkie’s friend Rainbow called out “Steady there girl!” “Yah, vhutever,” she replied. She took only a few steps to her right before she spotted something strange. She slowed her approach, and puzzled over what she saw, her mouth agape. As she did, Pinkie and Rainbow came up from behind and all three girls examined the scene. It was Photo’s locker; that they knew for sure. But now the entire outer surface was covered top to bottom with swastikas. “Wow Photo,” Pinkie said to break the silence, “I know you’re into fashion, but I think you’re kinda pushing it with this one.” On hearing this, the other two girls could only turn their heads and look to the girl in pink in disbelief. There were an unusual number of loiterers in the office considering the time of day. It was not that unusual, some were of course carrying on the normal business of the day. But there was a group there with other ideas. The vandalism report had gotten around, and some students who had excused themselves from study halls or were slow walking their way from the restroom seemed to be passing by, watching one could only assume for some sort of drama. “Znips and Znails?” Photo repeated back, and then shook her head in disbelief, “Zhat is impoossible. Zhose two cretins could not even draw a swastika. I doubt they have even zeen one before.” Vice Principal Luna glanced over to her sister with a raised eyebrow, whose point was immediately recognized by Celestia. The principal folded her hands together, and met Photo’s gaze as she replied. “Well…,” she started, “the surveillance tape puts that theory to rest. I do agree though that those two may not have initiated this whole series of events, given their history. Unfortunately, without more evidence, all we can do is deal with them.” Photo folded her hands and looked the principal in the eye and replied “Frau Celestia, I oonderstand the problem. But it seems obvious zhat zhere is a coonection here. I have a confrontation; he callz me a Nazi; and the swastikas appear…bing…bang…boom. It can not be a coincidance.” “Miss Finish, we’re not saying that it is,” Vice Principal Luna answered, “We’re only saying that we can’t go further, at least until we have a chance to investigate. Please try to stay calm.” “I AM CALM!” Photo snapped back, but then shrank back into her chair when she saw the reaction. “My apologies,” she continued as she shook off a bit of her extra energy, “I-It is just the thought of zomeone mezzing with my stoof, with people all around, and no one zaying a verd!” She paused, and added “I realize that not everyone likes me or vhat I do. I achxept that. You go too far outside zhe line, you pay ze price. But...no one has mezzed with me like this before…or called me names like ‘Nazi’ or ‘Hun’.” Celestia nodded and answered, “I understand. Maybe it would be better if you got back to class.” Photo looked to Celestia, and not seeing any reaction took a deep breath, and then stood up, gave the two administrators a shallow bow, and turned and left the room. Luna moved over and closed the door behind her student, than turned to her sister. “Well, what do you think?” Celestia thought about it for a second, and replied “I think we have a problem, and I want it nipped in the bud. I won't tolerate someone dealing in psychological warfare in my school.” “Do we know that that is what is happening?” Luna replied, “Bold Venture hasn’t been a problem since he arrived in September. And he maintains a solid 3.25 G.P.A. That doesn’t fit the usual profile of a bully.” “Well, Sunset Shimmer scores higher, and we know what happened there.” Celestia replied, “And did we ever find out exactly why he transferred here from out of town, two weeks into senior year, from an elite private school…?” Luna scowled and crossed her arms as her mind reviewed the story again. “No,” she answered, “not to my satisfaction. Do you mind if I try again?” “Please do,” her sister replied, “meanwhile I think I’ll talk to the other two people who witnessed this.” Photo walked out to the front counter and waited for the secretary to process her hall pass. She had a million thoughts going through her mind, none of them positive. She glanced around the room, and it was then that she saw it, her nemesis entering the office, accompanied by Rarity. She stood there in disbelief as the pair talked together, showing no sign of anything but congeniality. Rarity even took the time to shake his hand as he left, apparently not noticing Photo at all. Rarity turned and walked up to the other end of counter, pausing to wave to Photo and smile before the secretary caught her attention. Photo waved back halfheartedly, and then slowly turned back to the counter again. She knew Rarity usually wasn’t careless in choosing the people she hung out with. ‘What does this mean?’ she thought. Finally the secretary set the pass in front of her, and she came to a conclusion. She had done the right thing, and gotten burned. There was no reason to take it further. She had little to gain, and possibly much to lose. And after all, it really wasn’t her fight. “Very well, little boy,” she said to herself, “zhe field iz yours.” Then she picked up her pass, and went on her way.