//------------------------------// // Chapter 17: The Games // Story: Power of the Cybernetic Soldier // by HeartfireFirebrand //------------------------------// Tempest was standing at the entry to the School when Cinch got out of the bus that was delivering Crystal Prep to Canterlot High. Cinch walked over to Celestia “Good morning Principal Celestia.” Celestia smiled “Good morning Principal Cinch, ready to win again.” Cinch chuckled “Not Quite, you have been improving considerably you may just win this year.” The two chatted about their schools as the students left the bus, Luna and Cadence also were talking. Cinch and Celestia walked through the halls, Celestia showed her the music room to see only for them to see Twilight, Twilight turned to Principal Cinch “I was just following the readings my device was giving off and…” Cinch frowned “Don’t worry about it, just remember you are a participant in these games, don’t let your research make forget that. Come on I need you with the rest of the team.” Cinch walked out with Twilight, Tempest frowned as Sunset tried to go through the portal only for Twilight’s pendant to suck the magic out of it. Later, Tempest joined Sunset and her friends Applejack blinked “What do you mean this portal’s gone?” Sunset grimaced “That’s just it, the portal’s gone and I have no idea why?” Rainbow Dash asked “How did it happen?” Tempest frowned “Twilight did something, I was watching the whole thing.” Applejack frowned “Then we better figure out what.” Tempest sighed as she followed the group who headed towards the Crystal Prep kids, Sunset frowned “What were you doing around that portal?” Indigo Zap one of the other Crystal Prep students growled “Who wants to know?” Rainbow frowned “We do, I thought it was obvious?” Principal Cinch saw what was an inevitable argument and walked over “Now now we are guests, no need to be so hostile” she then saw Tempest and grinned “Tempest.” Tempest and Cinch bumped fists “It’s good to see you here, this is my daughter Sunset.” Cinch smiled as she looked at Sunset “If you’re as smart as your mother says you are going to give us quite the run for our money” she then turned back to Tempest “I have to go, I have to be up on stage with Celestia.” All members of both groups were shocked at how well Tempest and Cinch got along. Sunset blinked “Why are you all shocked?” Everyone except Tempest turned to Sunset“We have never seen Principal Cinch be that friendly with anyone ever, she always seems so guarded.” Sunset exclaimed “Really, I wouldn’t think considering how she really cuts loose when she joins my family for dinner or we go out to see a movie or someling.” Before anything else could be discussed, Celestia walked forward with a smile “Hello everyone I hope you are all getting along with our guests from Crystal Prep.” Twilight looked at Pinkie Pie who had two cannons “What are these contraptions for?” Pinkie Pie grinned as she hugged the cannons “They are for parties, they are party cannons after all.” Celestia continued “I would also like to applaud the twelve students who we have put forward to compete in the games, I don’t think we could have picked a better set of candidates to represent the excellence, sportsmanship and the friendship that these games stand for.” Music began to play, the students were chatting. A pair of loud cannons boomed and suddenly a massive party had formed around the students, Cinch then walked up to the mic and tapped it, all the partying ceased for the moment. Cinch smiled “I would like to offer Canterlot High my respect for giving us such a warm welcome, and judging from their selection we might just have a challenge on our hands, good luck everyone, one way or the other this will be a Friendship Games to remember!” Everyone cheered, Celestia smiled “I am impressed Cinch, you have really learned how to cut loose.” Cinch sighed “Tempest has been a good influence on me, she treats me like the family I never had. I missed out on so much when I was younger.” Cinch walked away with a frown on her face. The next day a message came from the P.A system “Good morning students , today is when the Friendship Games truly begins, the competitors will be faces with every aspect of the CHS Curriculum culminating in the elimination Equation.” Everyone arrived in the auditorium, Tempest smiled at Sunset “Looks like we’re ready to begin.” Cadence smiled as she walked to the microphone, she grabbed and turned to the crow “Welcome to the first event , the Academic Decathlon whether it be Chemistry, Home Economics or anything in between you will be tested on it only the six best students from each team will move onto to the next round, best of luck!” The Shadowbolts won the first round after Derpy and Lyra’s chemistry product exploded, Cinch smiled at the two Shadowbolts who had won the round “Good work.” The next round however had Cinch stunned, the Shadowbolts made a marvellous cake only for Pinkie and Fluttershy to make a cake with Manesa Lisa inside. Cinch sighed as she looked at her participants “Normally I would be mad but honestly I can’t blame you, I have no idea how anyone could compete with someone who could do that.” The spelling bee had her fuming “That was horrible, how did you screw that up so badly. It was just spelling, we have a test every week for that and only Twilight passed the first round! You better hope she wins the elimination equation!” Cinch was standing next to Tempest “Looks like it’s my best student at least academically vs you daughter.” Tempest smiled her wings flaring out slightly “Sunset’s got this.” Cinch raised an eyebrow “You really need to tell me how you got those wings one day other than magic.” Tempest smiled “Maybe after the games but for now let’s see who wins.” Twilight nervously walked up while Sunset was wearing a cocky grin. Cinch walked in between them and wrote up a really complicated equation. Twilight thought (This is really tough, I wasn’t expecting this type of question from Canterlot.) Sunset meanwhile grinned as thought (This will be foal’s play, most foals learned harder stuff than this in their first year at school.) Cinch turned to them “Begin.” Cinch looked between the two of them, Cinch frowned as Twilight who was slowly figuring out each part of the problem while Sunset was blitzing through it with ease, Sunset smiled before Twilight was even half finished “Done.” Cinch walked over and looked over before her eyes widened “It’s correct.” Luna smiled “Looks like Canterlot High take the first round.” Twilight walked back to the group, Sugarcoat turned to her “You screwed up.” Indigo Zap growled “We’re going to lose because of you!” Cinch frowned as the rest of the Crystal Prep Students surrounded her, she walked over “Enough! This behaviour ill-fitting of students at Crystals Prep.” The rest of the girls left the room with a scowl, Cinch shook her head “Look at me Twilight, that was no simple equation I put up there, that was something for last year uni students in physics doing a doctorate or masters to be doing. I wanted to push you, I have no idea how that girl managed that but don’\t feel bad that girl is a genius among geniuses.” Tempest meanwhile was standing next to Sunset, Tempest smiled “That was good work.” Sunset laughed “Not really back home in Equestria every unicorn foal can do more than that, she then sighed I still don’t know how magic works here and with that girl wandering around this is getting more dangerous.” When the next event began after the Wondertones performed, Cinch and Tempest were watching closely. Tempest frowned as the two watched Twilight’s horrendous attempts at trying to hit the target, Cinch sighed “She never was an athlete and with her screwing this up everyone of the other kids are going to jump on her.” Tempest frowned “I know.” Cinch blinked in confusion as massive vines appeared on the field, the she frowned as she saw Rainbow Dash flying around the field with wings “What is going on Tempest?” Tempest grinned sheepishly “Magic.” Cinch’s eyes narrowed “Magic huh, hmm.” Soon the final event begun to start, Cinch grimaced “We’ve lost already but if I get Twilight to win this somehow I could save her from being constantly bullied but how…” she then saw the strange pendant Twilight was wearing. Cinch walked over to her “What were you using that pendent for.” Twilight blinked “It was supposed to track EM waves, it also absorbs what the girls here call magic.” Cinch frowned (Maybe yes I need her to win this, to save her from shame, time to play bitch.) Cinch frowned “Well then considering how you all have performed horribly this is the last chance to gain some dignity back.” The Shadowbolts as well as Cinch began to sing I realize that you've always been an outcast It's not everyone at school who likes to think To find a student that's like you I've had one or maybe two But the good ones disappear before I blink (Oh, wuh-oh-wuh, oh Oh, wuh-oh-wuh) Now, I understand you have your reservations (oh-wuh) It's hard to have a brain as large as yours (oh-oh-oh-oh) But if we don't win this round Well, I think I've made it plain What will happen if we loss all our dignity! (Oh, wuh-oh-wuh, oh Oh, wuh-oh-wuh) Unleash the magic, unleash the magic If we fail, then you're to blame (ah, ah-ah-ah) They all have used it, maybe abused it (ah-ah-ah) So then why can't we do the same? (Oh, wuh-oh-wuh, oh Oh, wuh-oh-wuh) Call it power, call it magic If we fail, it will be tragic More important is the knowledge we'll have lost (oh-oh-oh-oh) A chance like this won't come again You'll regret not giving in Isn't understanding magic worth the cost? (Oh, wuh-oh-wuh, oh Oh, wuh-oh-wuh) Unleash the magic, unleash the magic We're not friends here after all Our only interest in this business (ah-ah-ah) Is seeing Crystal Prep Rise (Oh, wuh-oh-wuh, oh Oh, wuh-oh-wuh, oh) What I'm suggesting's very simple And since we’re down two to nil You only want to learn about the Magic that you have stored And as for me and all the others We only want what we deserve That our school will clinch the win And our... ...legacy will endure Unleash the magic, unleash the magic If we fail, then it's a crime But we can win it if you begin it (ah-ah-ah) It's up to you to not fail this time Unleash the magic, free the magic now Twilight joined in the singing as she walked forward Imagine all I’ll learn by setting it free Vice Principal Luna nodded “Now that both teams are ready…” And now redeeming ourselves depends on me Her dog Spike screamed “Stop!” And what doors will open if I use it Cadence smiled “..the last event of the Friendship Games begins.” Cadence and Luna as well as the Shadowbolts shouted “Now!” Twilight opened the device which released it’s energy before it dropped to the ground, Spike gasped in shock, as Twilight screamed as she was pulled into the glowing mass of purple energy “Ssssssssoooooommmmmoooonnnneeeeee hhhheeeeeeeeellllllppp!” Spike whimpered as she morphed into a new form her skin darkening and pair of wings flying out of her back she grinned at Sunset “Hahahahahahaha you were right! I didn’t understand magic before, BUT I DO NOW!” Cinch collapsed to the ground tears forming in her eyes “This is all my fault!” she slammed her fist into the ground. Tempest grabbed Cinch as Midnight Sparkle began firing blasts at everywhere opening portals. Sunset and her friends acrobatically dodged the beams while rescuing people who had fallen into the dimensional holes, Midnight then turned to Applejack and cackled madly “Time to die, Applejack! You deserve this for how you treated you sister!” Cinch and Tempest watched in horror as Apple Bloom ran into her sister and pushed her away before falling into a dimensional hole. They all watch as Applejack tries and fails to rescue her sister, the other Apple Bloom watching in a mix of shock and horror from a distance. Sunset looks at her crying friend and takes a deep breath, she then shouted desperately “This isn’t the way! I know how it feels, the power like you can have whatever you want! I’ve been where you are and I’ve made the same mistake you’re making! I put on an artefact of incredible power and just like you it overwhelmed me with it’s power! It thought I could get whatever I wanted but I was wrong!” Midnight Sparkle laughed “That’s where your wrong, I can get everything I ever wanted because I am not weak like you!” Sunset frowned at Midnight Sparkle as she picked up the strange device “I have learned a vital lesson while I was here, even with all that power you will always be alone, true power comes from Honesty! Loyalty! Generosity! Laughter! And Kindness! I want to help you understand the most powerful magic of all…” Sunset threw the device down releasing the magic transforming into an Alicorn like form “The Magic of Friendship!” Midnight and Sunset clashed, Sunset’s beam was being pushed back by Midnight’s. Then Spike shouted “Twilight!” Midnight turned to Spike her eyes returning to normal “Spike?” Sunset then begins to push more energy into her beam. A few seconds later Sunset and Twilight landed, Twilight began to cry “I’m sorry I had no intention for this to happen.” Susnet gave her a warm hug as the girl cried onto ehr shoulder Applejack stormed over her tears replaced with fury, Cinch saw this and turned to Tempest with a calm smile “Please let me go.” Tempest nodded letting her friend run in front of Twilight, Cinch looked at Applejack “This is my fault not hers if you wish to take it out on me go on ahead.” Cinch didn’t flinch as Applejack roared wailing on Cinch with fury until she was worn out and walked off in tears. Cinch sighed as she turned to the school “This is all my fault, I will be resigning from my position soon.”