//------------------------------// // New Measures // Story: Mirage Shimmer // by RedPegasus //------------------------------// "What happened to Sunset?" Her friends asked with intrigue. "... it was Sugar Coat ..." she replied uncertainly. "She said ... she didn't need us to study magic anymore ..." Neither hid her surprise, nor her nerves... what did that mean...? ***Mirage*** A crowd had gathered in the auditorium of Crystal Prep, it seemed that all the students were in school, on the stage in front of them lay five girls who had a certain fame in school. Sour Sweet, Lemon Zest, Indigo Zap, Sunny Flare, and Sugar Coat, wait patiently for the students to settle in and pay attention to them, finally the pigtail girl takes a step forward and through a microphone begins to Speak with her characteristic neutral expression. "I am grateful that you have attended, I know that this meeting has been very sudden, but I think everyone present will be interested in what will be said here." ***Mirage*** The lights of the place light up to reveal a gigantic room, almost seemed to be able to get to the high school inside. Indigo asks a fair question. "what kind of school has an underground base?" Sunny Flare shrugs. "As far as I know, Crystal Prep was built at a time that threatened a war, I guess it's some kind of shelter." "it still doesn't make sense." "I think it's radical." Says Lemon admiring the place. Sugar Coat approaches and takes her role as "leader". "Stop talking, there's work to do." Walk downstairs, followed by the others. ***Mirage*** In a matter of time, the Crystals students of the school get to bring tables, mechanisms, computers, chemicals, even slates, a kind of improvised, although at all precarious laboratory begins to take shape. Sugar coat watches the entire facility, watching the future work in her mind. ***Mirage*** At the next day... As usual, the Director of the preparatory checked files and documents in the dark and quiet of his office, factors interrupted when the door opened and the sub principal came in with a serious, worried, and somewhat disgusted face. "Director!" The man keeps his eyes on his documents. He spoke in a calm and serious voice, showing that he listens to her. "Cadenza." "what is this huge amount of money invested in I don't knowing what things and these notes submitted by students adjudicating that they will be free of school activities indefinitely without not to mention the opening of the abandoned shelter-" "Cadenza, please calm your nerves." He asks in the same voice. "... what's happening director?" Sombra leaves the documents aside "simply, I given the students the opportunity to show not just to the school, but the entire world they capacity." The answer just confuses her more. "What do you mean director?" "The issue we've been dealing with is much more complex than we thought at one point, but thanks to that, we can now see all the possibilities." "... possibilities? Possibilities of what?" "what has caused all the anomalies that we have identified, seems to originate in a place beyond our imagination, a different world." Cadence is shocked by the explanation, despite not fully understanding... "... a... world...?" "a place that we do not know and where this energy is found naturally, do you have any idea what that means?" "... I fear... I don't understand director..." "that means that we must extend our ability, and already the students have found the form." The man checks between his documents and finds something that could be described as a sketch of blueprints for a machine, he extends the sketch to the sub principal and she examines it for a moment, her face reflects misunderstanding for a few seconds and then to show surprise. "... this... but, but director... don't you think this is too much for some students?" "they are the ones who have decided, I just gave them the necessary resources." "But director, would not it be better to contact a specialized team? It could be too dangerous." "As I said, they made the decision, and they accepted the risks, which I approve." "Do you approve? But sir! Do you realize what could happen ?! They are children! "no sub director Cadenza" he stands "they are the future of this world, a future that is closer than ever. Cadence starts to fear the situation. "What do you mean?" Sombra walks to the window "the power they are looking for, could change the world in a way that we did not imagine, I thought this was a threat but it is not, it is an opportunity." "...opportunity? Oporunidad of what?" Her voice is full of doubt and fear. "... to create... A NEW WORLD!" The director opens the curtains letting in the evening light in the room, the sudden luminescent change blinds Cadence a moment and somehow seems to leave the whole room shining crystal clear. "for centuries, humanity has used the power of nature to its benefit, and through this, has been able to evolve as a society, and as a species, now, a new force is present, one that can give us more power of which we have ever dreamed." "B-But director... it's still dangerous for some simple students, in that case we should inform someone-" "no way!" The director's sharp voice surprises and scaring the woman. "... director..." "this power, we discover, this students, this school, and therefore, we must be the ones who show it to the world" He turns to see her "you realize Cadenza, of what we can achieve with this." "... I... I fear... ..." "power, fame, glory, recognition, the whole world will advance to a new era, more glorious and magnificent than anyone before, and it will be us, who will lead the world to that future." "but... but..." "the school and all in it we will see reflected in the immortality of history, there is no greater pleasure to be venerated by the world through the centuries, that is what I and every student present seeks to achieve, that's why that this project must continue." Already the eyes of the sub director get accustomed to the brightness and her sight is cleared leaving the room in a normal state. Yet her gaze shows concern and misunderstanding. "... I... I don't think... favorable for students..." The man keeps his stance firm and his voice calm. "If it makes you feel uncomfortable you don't need to participate in this matter, but I can assure you, the students are very motivated to continue, and I have no intentions of stopping them, I hope, you don't try either." The tone of voice change almost sounds threatening to the ears of Cadence. The conversation dies after a gesture of understanding and the woman's soon withdrawal from the room, the director finding himself alone in his office turns to the window and contemplates the light that in his eyes represents a new future. ***Mirage*** The front doors of the vehicle are opened and these "triplets" come out, two of them are placed at the sides of the vehicle and the third opens the back door, the superintendent stands still for a moment, then takes a folder placed at her Side in the seat and out of the car. Chrysalis takes off her dark glasses and watches to Canterlot High for a moment, the "triplets" standing behind her lined up in front of the vehicle, she signs with her hand, winning a nod of the three, then walks into the school. The woman ignores the students' looks and hastily but without pause goes to the principal's office. The soft knock on the door is answered instantly. "Go ahead." The voice of Celestia is heard. Chrysalis open the door and when her enter her go to the principal sitting at her desk, the vice principal Luna standing next to her sister. There is silence for a moment, until Celestia clears her throat. "Chrysalis, did you want to tell us something?" The superintendent looks towards the principal and approaches. "indeed, I wanted to ask for your assistance in something" She put the folder that was on the desktop, Celestia opens it and inside only sees a sheet, a document. Chrysalis proceeds to explain. "this is a suspension order directive, usually teachers or managers send them to me, in this case, I will send myself one, to summarize, is a request for Alphonse Sombra to be suspended from his position as director for a week." Celestia looks curious about the explanation "suspended?" "Why is the idea with that?" Asks Luna with intrigue. "Upon suspension, Alphonse Sombra will lose access to Crystal Prep and any files or projects within it, so I can easily find out what it is doing." "It sounds like a dirty maneuver." Mentions the youngest of the sisters with arms crossed. "sometimes one must get dirty to do the right thing" Responds the woman with dark skin. "especially if it is about the safety and well-being of young people." The words startle a little at two them, Celestia finally asks "what do you need from us exactly?" "For this order to be legalized, I need it signed by three board members, of course I can not sign for myself, that's why I brought it to you, I assumed you two would help me." Both sisters look at each other and then turn to the document. ***Mirage*** At the next Day... Twilight was always very intelligent, a mind so brilliant that it excelled in any field, but it did not take that brain power to notice the strange things that happened in high school in the last days. The students had begun to leave the classes, at first a few, but with the passing of the days were increasing, sometimes some returned for certain subjects and then disappeared again. Hour to hour day to day, and less was the frequency in which some pupil introduced himself to any class, no matter what it was, until the number one student in the school was the only soul in the whole classroom, in addition to the teacher. She follows her usual routine, she focuses her attention on taking notes of what the teacher says, yet she occasionally turns to see the empty room with intrigue. The corridors are also empty, occasionally seen by a student or teacher, but in general, the high school seemed completely deserted. Twilight orders some books in her locker and takes a moment to think. "I wonder what's going on? Does this have to do with what Sugar Coat told me? ... I did well ... to give her that jewel ...? Sunset said I did not worry but ..." The sound of the change of hour takes her out of her thoughts, even with a worried look she closes her locker and goes to her next class... ***Mirage*** "Lemon Zest, report." It hear the voice of Sugar Coat at some order. Lemon observes a monitor "... without success, there is no way to open this jewel." Sugar looks intrigued. "open it?" "yes, the data is clear, there is a small amount of energy inside it, but I can't release it to analyze it correctly, it's like a locked box." "what choice do we have?" Lemon sighs "that's the thing, I don't know, if we can't "open" the jewel to use it, we would have to break it, but I don't recommend it, there must be a way to stimulate the energy to come out by itself." The girl with glasses is silent thoughtfully. "... keep trying, I'll see what to do." "sure boss." Putting on her hearing aids, she returns to work. Sugar Coat walks away at leisure and in her head is evaluating the experience during the investigation of the girls of Canterlot. "um, yeah, the thing is, we need to play music to transform ourselves." "Our magic is only activated when we play." "we just play, magic does the rest." "we focus on having fun and having fun." "it's the magic of friendship!" "our magic comes from our friendship, playing together, we show our love and confidence, at least, that's the theory." "Twilight thought the same, and yet-" "now she's our new best friend!" "...Twilight Sparkle." ***Mirage*** Classes were over, students had already left school, only a few were engaged in recreational activities in clubs and the like. Among them, the six friends receive the most recent member of their group. "Twilight!" They exclaim when she sees her entering her practice room. "you came" announces Joyful Sunset. "yeah... well, you asked me to come and ... um ... why did you want me to come?" Rainbow Dash takes her the shoulders and uses her free arm to point the room. "Come on, choose an instrument, we will teach you to play" "what?!" She asks exalted "how to play?! what ?!" "If you're going to be part of the band, you should play or sing something" Announces Rainbow with obviousness. "Band?!! when I said I would be part of a band?!" Rarity is the one who replies "you didn't, but you are part of ours" Twilight is said to be exalted, and although she tries, she can not ask any questions. "Wath?!!" "You are part of our band!! later on I will do a "Welcome to the Band" party!!" Announces Pinkie Pie. The scientist still does not seem to understand the situation. "... since when did I join the band? ... I was not aware..." "Since you are our friend" Sunset's response surprises her in more ways than one. Sunset smiles at her. "Our band is a union of our friendship, you are our friend, so you have earned a space more than deserved it" The scientist is speechless. Take a moment to assimilate the situation. "... but I..." Rainbow smiles at her. "Come on egghead, choose an instrument and start rehearsing!" "Bu-but I didn't touch anything!" "It's okay," Sunset says and gives her a microphone "you can be a vocalist" Twilight looks at the microphone in her hand with some fright. "I don't know the songs!" Fluttershy approaches with her timid attitude. "Um, here ..." she gives her a paper. "I can lend you my notes, I use them when I forget the lyrics." Twilight looks at the microphone in her left hand and the songs in her right hand. "But... but... but..." "Time to play!!" Exclaims with joy the pink girl of the group. The cheerful girl runs to her drum and with a lively smile is ready to play. Each one does the same taking their instruments and getting ready to start. Twilight is still static by the situation, Sunset extends the hand inviting it to approach. "Come Twi, let us show you what friendship is." "... friendship ..." She sees the smile of all of them, those that she can call friends. Feeling a warmth in her chest and wiping a tear in her eye, smiles.