//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Rivals (Part 3) // Story: Cross Reference // by Eyeswirl the Weirded //------------------------------// In another hall of the same building, Dean Cadence strolled with a little box of donuts in hand, humming a cheerful tune as she made her way to the guidance counselor's office. Truth be told, she wasn't sad about the previous one retiring, because serious old men trying a little too hard to prove how much they knew about all the different psychological theories and studies would not have been her first choice to comforting upset teenagers. But maybe it'd be Cinch's... The last guy was working here before she was, so maybe she didn't just pick an identical replacement? Either way, Cadence wanted to make a good first impression and welcome the new staff member to the school. Hence: Donuts. Reaching the door, she gently knocked twice and walked in. "Hello! I'm-..." The room was empty. Well, there were still chairs and a big desk and shelves with books and stuff, but no people. Cinch said the new counselor was supposed to be in right now, but it looked like Cadence would have to settle for leaving them a note. She walked over to the desk, set down the donuts, and started looking around for sticky notes or something. I really should start carrying around my own little packet. Would Cinch let me leave pink notes on things? With little hearts on- "My, my," came a low, sensual voice, "is that Cadence? Never thought I'd see you here." Cadence whipped around to see someone she'd have said the exact same thing to. Stretched out in a provocative pose on the red, leather therapy couch (placed in a corner opposite to the desk) was a tall, dark-skinned woman in an even darker suit; a pitch-black skirt and blazer that covered a tight, white blouse and striking, green tie that disappeared between the wearer's massive breasts. Covering her long, slender legs were dark-green stockings, riddled with holes all the way down to her shiny, black high heels that dangled over the edge of the couch. At first glance, one would think her long, dark-blue hair was just a windswept mess, but the uneven ends were deliberately styled with the help of a black, jagged hairpin to reveal one ear and most of her neck from the front and left side, one long, thick set of strands hanging between her green eyes and reaching just a little past her chin, the dark-green lipstick on that mouth curved into an amused smirk. "Finished eyeing me up yet?" Cadence immediately broke into a furious blush, but refused to dignify the question with a direct response, eyes narrowing as she loosed a dark whisper. "What are you doing here?" Chrysalis leisurely stretched her arms to indicate the surrounding area. "Can't you tell? I'm the new guidance counselor. I haven't really unpacked yet, but I'm sure I'll find some kind, helpful soul to lend me a hand with that." Not wanting to hear another word, Cadence set her eyes on the door and marched. "♫I wouldn't do it if I were youuu~♪" Cadence stopped, hissing her reply through clenched teeth. "Do. What." "You were thinking of complaining to Principal Cinch, weren't you? Trying to get me fired right away by telling her that I'm-" she theatrically draped an arm over her face, "-not fit for Crystal Prep, that I'd surely damage the school's sterling reputation just by being here." She peered out from under her arm, a devious smirk on her lips. "Ignoring how you would know such a thing in the first place." Cadence looked away, heat again crawling up her neck. "W-what makes you think I'd say anything about that?!" Eyes alight with fiendish glee, Chrysalis smiled wider. "So you were going to try." "I didn't say-" "Just keep in mind: Even if it should somehow come to light that I was involved with something-" she hung on the word in a slow, breathy whisper that made Cadence visibly stiffen her shoulders, "-scandalous... You and your dear boyfriend were there too." She adopted a curious, contemplative expression. "How's that going, by the way? Still sticking to the fairytale approach, or have you finally knuckled down and told him what you really want?" Fire and hate in her eyes, Cadence clenched both fists. "That is NONE of your concern!!" She innocently touched the tip of an index finger to her lower lip. "Oh? I can't be concerned when I see a lovely couple headed for inevitable disaster? I really am worried, you know, because I know your man is a boyscout, but let's face it; sooner or later the Perfect Prince and Princess™ routine will be just that." "We are getting along because we love each other," Cadence declared firmly, "something you will never understand!" Rolling her eyes, Chrysalis dismissively waved a hand. "I understand people, Cadence," she noted with a hint of delight that it still annoyed her when Chrysalis addressed her by that name, "and it only took me about five minutes of watching you two interact to see where you stand. Unless you and Shiny really are Disney animatronics masquerading as humans, you'll be a lot happier in the long run if you drop the act and tell him everything." Nearly snarling, Cadence turned to leave, racking her brain for a way to tell Cinch what little she knew about Chysalis's... extracurricular activities without incriminating herself when she was stopped by a surprisingly gentle voice. "Oh, and Cadence?" She turned to see Chrysalis, having rolled over onto her stomach, resting her chin atop her folded hands with a peaceful smile on her face. "Thanks for the donuts~!" Eyes narrowed, Cadence left without another word, but she at least controlled herself well enough to not slam the door. *\0/* *\0/* *\0/* Sitting on the steps to the front door of CHS after school, Sunset Shimmer closed the journal she'd been using to communicate with Princess Twilight over in Equestria. She did like talking to Twilight, both of them, really, but this last message left her... troubled. ...So, this filly breaks into her castle, screws with time and space, and she makes her her student? That's the first thing that came to mind? She thought for a second. I mean, what I'm doing with this world's Twilight is completely different, she's-... She doesn't have magic anymore! Looking at the cover of the journal, her cutie mark emblazoned on the front, she frowned. Not that she wasn't grateful for how things turned out, but- "-rself." Snapping to attention, Sunset looked up to see Adagio, an eyebrow curiously raised as she stood there in that sassy hand-on-hip pose. "I'm sorry, what?" "I said, it's rare to see you by yourself. Are the others having some kind of No Equestrians party, or...?" Shaking her head, Sunset smiled. "Nah, I was just talking to Princess Twilight again and communicating through a book isn't a great group activity." "Ah." When Sunset patted the concrete step next to her, Adagio briefly considered suggesting softer seating and sat down anyway. "How is the good princess these days?" Sunset knew that none of the sirens liked Princess Twilight, given her part in ruining them and no part in helping them recover, and it showed in Adagio's tone. Still, Sunset didn't lose her grin. "She's doing fine, even picked up a new student." Adagio loosed an apathetic hum and looked out over the school grounds, so she tried a different topic. "Speaking of students, how are Aria and Sonata doing over there?" "They tell me they're not having any problems every time I ask, but I haven't heard a peep of their triumphs so far, either, and I know they would report those." Sunset chuckled. "Don't worry too much, I'm sure your kids will do fine." She beamed at the flat look Adagio gave her for this. It must have been contagious, because Adagio smiled a little herself as she lightly shoved Sunset. "Hmph. It's not like I'm expecting them to bring me crown jewels and their enemies' severed heads on pikes by the end of the month, or at all, because I don't know what I'd do with the latter, but I'd like some kind of progress report." At this, Sunset's mirth was replaced with curiosity. "'Progress'? Progress in what? And, come to think of it, you never did tell me why they went over there without you." "You never asked, but I suppose you are now?" Sunset nodded. "As you may recall, building power was my whole life before we lost the gems, and without that kind of magic, I don't have it in me anymore to take us anywhere. My long-time cohorts, however, wouldn't mind a turn at the wheel, so to speak, so I've left them to spread their influence and make names for themselves over there while I try to replace what I learned in The Hadal Zone here. Eventually, one of them will emerge as the clearly dominant force, and that one will decide what we're doing from here on out. Or, such is the plan." "Uh huh... And, what if neither of them are up to it?" "We'll regroup and figure out our next move from there." "Ah." Sunset wore a worried frown. "You kinda make it sound like you guys are still villains." Adagio shrugged. "I can't say whether we will be or not, because I won't be in charge anymore, but right now? We're not really anything." "Should I be worried that this is going to be trouble later?" "Without magic? I don't know, how much of the trouble and wrongdoing in this world falls under Rainboom jurisdiction?" The question made Sunset flinch, so she pressed on a little more gently. "I heard two freshman girls scheming something the other day, are you and your friends intending to combat them, too?" "Freshman girls?" Sunset scratched her head. "What are you talking about?" "Something about 'the girls with the magic (that being the word that got my attention) steamrolling over' anyone trying to be what you were, Trixie being stupid, pulling something off without magic, and there having to be a way around 'those girls,' by which I suspect they meant your group, not mine. Once I made sure of that (neither reacted when I feigned ignorance and alluded to Aria and Sonata), I figured it wasn't my problem, so... Do you wait until there's a real, magical threat, or will you and your friends be policing everyone you aren't sure about from now on?" "Uhh... Well, I'm just worried that, with what you guys did before, that if I don't say or do anything, it'll become a magical threat, you know?" "I repeat," said Adagio with a little smile, "if we still had magic, I might have had something to go on. As it stands? The only means I've seen to do that is Twilight's spectrometer, and that method is so unstable that it's a miracle it didn't kill her. They may not tell me much about what's going on over there, but Aria has mentioned that she plans to build her power with currency, not magic. Does that make you feel any better?" "Lots, actually," Sunset answered with a bright, hopeful grin, "because no amount of money is going to enslave or destroy a planet." "I don't know about that, have you seen the way these creatures behave when financial gain is involved?" "You know what I mean," Sunset said with a little smirk and a playful shove, Adagio smiling back. A quiet moment later, she raised an eyebrow. "Why'd you play dumb with a couple of freshmen, though?" Adagio answered as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "So I'd be in a better position to use them later if needed, them not knowing that I'm aware of what they're up to meaning I can watch unmolested from the sidelines and possibly use that information as leverage against them." She sat in silence as Sunset, her mouth hanging open, stared back at her. "...Bad?" "Um... y-yea. Bad." "Sorry," she said with full, pouty lips and half-lidded eyes, "I'm a bad girl." Watching Sunset slowly turn fluorescent pink, she restrained her reaction to a giggle as she stood up. Again surveying the immediate area, she finished with a whisper. "I'll work on it, though." Looking up at her, Sunset smiled. "My friends and I will be around if you need us." Adagio glanced over her shoulder with a grin. "I should head home, Aria and Sonata will be back soon. See you tomorrow, Sunset." And off she went, hips swinging no less than... well, any other time Sunset had seen them in motion. Twilight swears up and down that those impacts were all an accident, but if even one wasn't... I guess I get it? Sunset immediately slapped herself. She had heard Adagio's full account of what happened to them back in Coltlantis, her ten long years as a fully-conscious plaything for four depraved lunatics, and she would not allow herself to think of Adagio in the same way. Not now. Not ever. ...I mean, unless she- Sunset slapped herself again.