//------------------------------// // Monsters in Men's Clothing // Story: Equestria Girls: Love Is Magic // by onekface //------------------------------// Chapter 32: Monsters in Men’s Clothing (Wednesday) (Morning) (Hillside House) The last few days have been a bit of a blur for Sunset. Waking up early in the morning with a cup of coco in hand had always been a daily routine for her, especially on holidays. But now she was having a bit of a headache. After the incident with her burnt apartment some few days ago, she busied herself with work, applying some new enhancement on their magic. If they were going to face off with Hoity Toity and his snake like shadow creatures, they had to be prepared. But mostly she had been busy prepping her new home with some new defenses. Particularly the anti-magic barrier that she set up. With the shards that Starlight provided her she embedded pieces of it around the house creating a protective shielding that prevented any living creature from entering without their permission. And by attuning those shards with their unique magical signatures, their geodes technically become ‘keys’ that granted them exclusive access to the area. Anyone or anything that tries to force their way through the barrier will be slamming against a force akin to that of a magically solid brick wall. Even Princess Celestia will have a hard time breaking through that. “Mornin Sugar Cube…” She turned over Applejack who came out of her room in her blue apple jammies stretching her arms out with a long extended yawn. “You’re up early today.” “I thought I’d have a look at the sunrise for once instead of just sleeping in.” Sunset chuckled as she took a sip off her cup. “I didn’t really have the time to admire the scenery with everything that’s been going on. But now that I don’t have to worry about anything, I gotta admit… this place looks pretty homey.” “You can say that again. Knowing that ya’ll are just next door makes me feel pretty safe around here.” She paused. “That and the magic barrier you put up. Speaking of which, you’re looking a lot better too. Nice PJs by the way.” “Thanks. It’s Pinkie Pie’s.” Sunset stretched out the adorably stretchy fabric where the belly extended into a built-in pouch. She can only imagine Pinkie keeping a boatload of snacks in there. If she had the whole thing settled, you would think she was dressing up as a kangaroo. “Don’t ask. It was either this or Rarity’s glitter pajamas.” “Well at least you finally got out of those old clothes. To be honest, you were getting kinda stinky.” “Ugh… don’t remind me.” She groaned lowly to herself. “I didn’t know how badly I needed a shower until I smelled myself. And no offense to Rainbow Dash. But her wardrobe were a bit… below my size.” “That’s an athlete for ya.” Applejack laughed grabbing a bottle of cider from her private stash before popping another question. “Sooooo… you know how much it’s gonna cost you to get you back on your feet?” “You mean how much I’m going to need to get my old life back together?” The redhead scoffed, feeling a headache coming through. “According to Twilight’s matriculate calculations, it’ll take me years just to get back to where I was.” “Don’t you have savings or something?” “I do. But even if I emptied my account, I’ll still be short by……” She gave it a quick thought and stopped counting. “… a lot. Even with my cutbacks I barely managed to save anything. And don’t even get me started about getting a new apartment. I looked through Twilight’s binder and they’re all either too far, too expensive or just too cramped. Right now the only quick solution for me to get everything back is to somehow win the lottery.” “Yeesh. That bad huh?” “It’s bad enough I have to stay in someone else’s house.” Applejack gave her a look. “No. I didn’t mean it like that. This place is nice and all and I can see myself living here but…” “It ain’t your place until you earned it.” The cowgirl deduced much to her agreement. “Trust me. I know the feeling. Kind of like having a sleepover at a friend’s place. You got all your stuff there but it just doesn’t feel like home.” “Yeah… that’s pretty accurate.” Sunset nodded back with a sigh. “I need a place that I own. A place that I can stay and be proud of. But… none of that will matter until we deal with this secret society and their shadow monsters.” “And still no clue on who they are?” “Other than Hoity and Cinch? No. Twilight is searching through some clues in the data drive we got earlier but so far nothing. And it’s really starting to get to me. First you, then Rarity and now my apartment? Who’s next? Fluttershy’s animal shelter?” The thought alone was frightening. “Hey… relax.” Applejack reassured her, placing one hand on her arm. “We’ll find them. And when we do. We’ll make them wish they never messed with us to begin with. It’ll all work out. I know it. We’ve been through tough scrapes before and we always came out on top.” “Heh… now you’re starting to sound like Flash.” “Well he has been with us for a long time now. So… he probably knows us better than most of our friends.” Her eye glanced over to the sky longingly as the snow continued to pour. “Speaking of Flash. You still coming to the party later this evening?” “The school Winter Holiday party? I’m not sure.” “Oh come on. You’ve been cooped up in this house for two days straight now. You can’t stay locked up just because you’re afraid.” “But what if the shadow monsters try to steal the Portal Stone again?” “It’ll be fine. We got that thing locked up in the safest place on the planet. Trust me. No one’s getting it. And even if they tried, you got this whole barrier thing set up and two of the best security dogs in the city.” She gestured over to the corner of the living room where Spike and Winona were snuggled comfortably in their pillows. “Uh… ok maybe not the best. But they’re all we’ve got. B’sides, I think you could use a real holiday. A day off from all this magic and mayhem.” “I totally agree with her, darling.” “Gah!” The two girls startled when a ghostly voice spoke to them. “Rarity? Is that you?” “Over here sweetie.” A floating cup answered swinging around at them. “Rarity. Are you using the cloak again?” The ‘ghost’ chuckled softly before revealing herself. “I’m sorry. My makeup needed drying and I don’t want people seeing my morning self.” “It’s 8 in the morning.” Applejack pointed out. “Why in the world would you need makeup this early?” “Beauty like this takes hard work and discipline, sweetie. You never know when you’ll appear in public. And besides, with the last school party of the year happening tonight, I have to be in tip top form.” She took a sip off her cup, placing one hand on her hip giving away a casual wink. “And what Applejack says is right dear. You’ve been locked up in this place for over two days straight working non-stop over your magical trinkets and those magic stones you put everywhere. You’re going to burn yourself out at this rate.” “But what if the monsters attack again?” “If they do, then they’ll be facing the seven of us together.” Rarity puffed her chest up with a determined voice. “I’d like to see those cretins try and take us on instead of picking us off one by one. And locking yourself here would declare that they have won! You must break out of your shell, show that secret society that it’ll take more than burning my home to bring me down! You should be going out there, scream to the world and tell it to give it all it’s got!” “She’s right.” AJ nodded also in agreement. “The only reason these things are winning is because they catch us alone. But with all of us together? They’ll think twice before they try anything stupid.” Sunset looked to her hot coco, in thought. The last two days have been hectic. With everyone moving into this house, and her nights filled with tinkering with the magical devices that Starlight brought her, she hasn’t had a moment of rest at all. It would explain why she felt more anxious while she was doing her morning routine. Perhaps a little break could be what she needed. “Alright.” She submitted to their whims with a chuckle. “If you two think that it’s a good idea, then who am I to say no?” “Wonderful!” Rarity cheered, not giving Sunset a moment to breathe before grabbing her by the arm and pulling her through the house. “And I have just the perfect attire for you. Come along now. We need to do some measurements!” “You two have fun now.” (Flash’s house) No… not this one either. Flash tossed what felt like the hundredth picture to the floor before falling on his bed letting out a tired sigh. Ever since he took a look at that photo album at his old house by the hill his mind raced for something that would link him to his late mother. It took him a while but he finally stumbled across a few old boxes in his dad’s room containing some old pictures from his younger days. He had hoped that there would be at least one photograph of him and his mother together. But sadly there wasn’t. It was either only him or his dad together. Or dad and mom, but never him or mom in one. It was like she was never once became a part of his life. A few ideas popped up in his head as to wonder why, but none of them seemed all that pleasant to think about. He thought about asking his dad but he was afraid that he would curl up back into his shell like before. No. Best to leave the past alone. The lady was gone and he’s finally moving on with his life. No need to bring back painful memories. *Woof!* “Heh… hey there Bananas.” The boy chuckled softly as his Boston Terrier came up to his face to give him a cheer-me-up lick to the face. “You worried about me boy? Well… I guess you could say that I am a little curious.” He patted the little guy, pretending that he could talk like Twilight’s dog. “I never really thought about mom until recently. Or… at least not until dad came back from his big expedition. Seeing her face on those photos really made me wonder though.” *Woof!* “I know I know. Thinking about it now won’t help. Besides I should probably get ready for my big gig tonight.” He picked up his guitar and strummed a few notes to test the sound. “It’s the last school party of the year. And with the next semester being my last, I need to make a lasting impression around here.” Bananas simply scratched his ear in response. “I even got a new song that’ll definitely be a hit. Wanna hear it, buddy?” His dog answered by snuggling in his blanket and snooze. “Ah fine. It’s not finished anyway.” “Flash? Are you in there?” The boy jolted up when he heard his father tap on his door. “Uh y… yeah! In a minute! I’m a… doing something.” He hastily stuffed the photos back into the box only to have it push back. “Mind if I come in?” Sombra questioned from the closed door. “I need to ask you a favor. It’s rather urgent and… what are you doing in there?” “Just practicing some music. Give me a sec.” With a swift motion he slammed the box right back in and tucked in his cabinet just the moment his dad entered. “Flash?” Sombra questioned as his eyes scanned the room noting the clutter. “What was all that noise?” “Oh… nothing.” He lied. “Just doing a little cleaning.” His dog barked softly as if he was trying to rat him out. “Cleaning? Why on earth are you doing that?” His dad raised a puzzled expression. “I understand that you want some privacy son. But you know we have people for that, right?” “I just don’t like people going through my stuff.” He answered shyly before suddenly turning his attention to the man’s attire which looked fabulous. “Whoa dad. You’re looking pretty snazzy. Got a big meeting coming up?” “Ah… son. Well… yes actually.” The older gentleman looked rather uncomfortable. “I’m uh… actually meeting with someone tonight.” Meeting with someone? As in… alone? There’s no kind of meeting that takes place one on one or require a suit that catchy. At least not in dad’s case. And judging from the hair-do, cologne and the flowers he had ready. That can only mean that he was… … going on a hot date! “Oh…?” “What?” Sombra sputtered. “What is it? Do I look ridiculous? Is it too much?” Normally he’d say yes. But considering his position, he’d rather say nothing at all. “No. Of course not. I’m sure the meeting will go… perfectly.” He held up a laugh. “Just remember to tell me all about it one day.” Doubtful that would ever happen but you’ll never know. “Anyway. I’m off. Don’t wait up for me.” “Oh wait. Flash. Actually… there is one thing I wanted to ask of you.” He stopped him for a moment. I was hoping to ask you a rather important favor. It’s rather embarrassing.” “Oh? What is it?” “Well… you remember the castle I told you about some time ago?” “You mean Castle Hoofbeard? Yeah I remember.” The one with the tragic backstory with pirates, mermaids, treasures and cross-star love. “Well the papers are finalized. They only need my signature to confirm the complete transfer of the deed.” He was sensing a ‘but’ coming. “However I just remembered that I have to make a quick trip to Manehattan to get some things from my old office and I cannot change the flight.” “You’re going out of town?” “Just for a few days. Not like those expeditions. And the man I purchased the deed from is also leaving town the day after so I can’t come by and finish the deal.” “Ooo…k? So where do I fit in?” “Well I need you to go there and sign the deed for me.” “Me!?” He stammered. “Me? Owning real-estate? I don’t think I’m ready for that dad. I can barely handle my own car.” “You’re just signing it in your name but the property will belong to the family. There’s no need for you to get so worked up.” The older man smiled. “All you need to do is go there, meet with the owner, sign one document and you’ll be back before you even know it. Please son?” He pleaded. “Just do this one thing for me?” Well that didn’t sound so bad. If it was just going to be a quick trip then he may as well do something productive for the family business. Still… he never really did get on with what his father does with his money. “Alright. I suppose I can do one signature.” “Excellent! The meeting is tomorrow. I’ll have Edmund provide you with directions. Oh and while you’re there. Do me a favor and have a look around the place. Get a feel for the land. I have an associate of mine who has big plans for the place and he can certainly use your input.” (Canterlot Highschool) (Courtyard) Luna had a mixed feeling today. The last of the preparations for tonight’s party has been done. The catering service has brought in their food, Granny Smith got the cider ready, the decoration was set, and the musical entertainment was ready. She even already picked out what she’d be taking home later tonight. Celestia won’t mind if she pocketed a few leftovers here and there. No point letting that stuff go to waste. The only thing missing now were the students themselves who will no doubt, be arriving in droves. The weather here also seemed to be taking a turn. Dark and heavy clouds loomed over the sky blocking the sun entirely. It would’ve been the perfect time to just sit back and relax. But sadly there was still one last hurdle to handle before they can truly let loose. And that hurdle was not something she was looking forward to. “Tell me again why we can’t just have this greeting inside the school?” She directed the question at her sister who stood tall and poised in front of the gates, eyeing the road expectantly. “It’s common courtesy.” The Principal explained. “Neighsay can be tough but he’s really old-school in terms of rules. Meeting him here instead of my office firstly is a sign of professionalism and respect.” Pfft… respect. I got more respect in my eyelashes than he has in his whole body. “Ok fine. But can I at least stay inside? It’s freezing out here.” She shivered even though she was already wrapped in two layers of jacket. “Just bear with it a little longer. You don’t need to say anything. Just try and pretend to be like one of the decorations.” Celestia scolded before returning to her original pose when she noted an expensive car stopping at the front of the sidewalk. “He’s here. Stand up straight. And put away that hat, you’re making me look bad.” Oh sister, I have ways of making you look bad. Don’t push my buttons. It’s bad enough I have to stand here early in the morning on the first week of her holiday dressed like a peacock. Ugh… it feels like we’re meeting the mayor. But it wasn’t the mayor that came out of that car. The driver strode out of his seat and quickly made his way to the other sided, opening the door for the passenger like some kind of butler. And from the backseat, a man…… nay… a creature of evil walked out, with pale skin, goatee and a dark red coat to match. A vampire in broad daylight. That was perhaps the most accurate description Luna could provide for the man. And no he wasn’t like those romantic emo kids that you see in movies, but the monstrous kind. The kind that would give you nightmares, drain the world of all its hope and color leaving nothing but a wasteland of despair and misery. “Chairman Neighsay. Good to see you.” Celestia greeted the blood sucker like an old colleague. “I hope your trip was pleasant.” “It was moderately dreadful.” The man responded with words that seemed to send even more chill to one’s bones than the cold weather itself. “Traffic was tolerable, roads are in desperate need of repair, the restaurant service where I ate was unacceptable and people’s respect and obedience to the law is absolutely atrocious. I saw a man walk his dog through the street in a no pet zone. Pfft… I should’ve called the police and have him arrested for violations. And here I thought Las Pegasus was horrifying. If I knew I was coming to a city of criminals I would’ve hired a bodyguard.” Well aren’t you just a ball of sunshine and rainbow. Can I interest you in some garlic bread? How about a nice can of soda with a side of holy water? French fries with an extra stake through the heart? “Well I’m sure you’ll find this place to your liking.” Celestia held her image together rather well. “And as the Principal of this school, allow me to be the first to welcome you to CHS. I have no doubt that you’ll be a wonderful addition to our staff.” “Yes I’m sure.” He added though his tone didn’t really send much enthusiasm. As a matter of fact he didn’t sound anything other than annoyed. “Speaking of which. Can we have this meeting indoors? I very much despise the sunlight.” Of course you do… “Ahem…” “Oh and of course allow me to introduce you to the School’s Vice Principal. I’m sure you remember Luna.” “Sadly… I don’t. But… charmed to meet you.” Sarcastically polite. That’s definitely something you don’t see every day. As they entered the school, Celestia continued on with her sales pitch. “As you can see, Canterlot High boast as one of the most reputable school in all of Canterlot itself. We provide the students here with the best education we can provide in various fields as well as independent art and sports activities improving not only their minds but also their physical well-being. Our students also enjoy a healthy diet in our school cafeteria which every produce is provided by the local community as a whole.” “Mmmm hmmm…” Yeesh. Nothing frazzles this guy. He was sterner than a rock. The only thing that seems to interest him is that notepad he held on hand. “And our faculty is also one of the finest in the business which I’m sure you already know.” Oh! He raised an eyebrow. That’s a reaction – or was it just a boring quip? “Uh… anyway. You’ll also be happy to know that our school’s reputation amongst the populace is also rising along with our GPA. We’ve even won a few trophies from our science teams last semester with our resident geniuses.” “Yes… very impressive.” Was it? It’s hard to tell with his expression. For all she knows it may as well be a sarcastic comment. “Canterlot High certainly has developed quite a reputation for itself these last few years. And you can be sure that the Board of Education appreciates it.” Celestia sighed with relief but not loud enough for him to hear. “However there are a few things that the Board is also concerned with.” “Th… they are?” Celestia gulped. The old vampire shifted through his notes raising one brow in question. “For one manner, this school has exceeded its usual budget more than three times already.” Oh boy… here we go. “We have?” “Yes. As a matter of fact… it surpassed the normal line by… a lot.” His frown darkened. “As a matter of fact… I would say that it’s actually hemorrhaging money.” We’re losing money!? How much? Will that be ruining our bottom line? How far deep in the red were we in? “And recently all these extra expenditures all involve… repairs to the school and replacement of equipment. Care to explain?” Ah crud. Luna winced, now acutely aware why the board would send someone of his pedigree and status to such a place. Thinking back on it now, it seemed logical that they’d be suspicious. With all the damage done by scientific accidents and of course ‘magic’ it would actually be more surprising if they didn’t send someone to check. She became uncomfortable and quickly turned to the announcement board giving it more attention than it had any right to, even though her sister looked to her pleading for help. Sorry sis, but you’re on your own on this one. I’m just here as decoration, remember? You can either throw those girls under the bus or risk it. Though the former option seems unlikely for her. “We’ve had a few accidents here in school. If you’ve noticed, the wiring of the city has been famed for its recklessness. We’re lucky to have suffered only a few small scrapes unlike the city block that burned down the other day.” Oh wow! Way to go Lesty. Bury a lie under a layer of truth to make it look believable. She’s making use of that accident in the city as an excuse. Neighsay cocked a brow in surprise and nodded. “Yes. I suppose this city’s infrastructure can be quite… unreliable.” Yes! Score one for CHS! “I’ll have to file a complaint to the mayor and get her to fix it. There have been a number of faulty wirings lately. Though that still doesn’t explain why the gym needed a whole new wall repaired.” “It was a science project gone wrong.” Celestia countered. “A robot went out of control. Geniuses these days think that they can do anything without consequences. Please don’t worry. I assure you that the students responsible have been adequately punished and we’ve applied new strict rules to prevent it from happening again?” We did? “Very good.” He nodded in acceptance. “I’m glad someone is taking their job seriously around here. However… there is one marginal error in your records.” “And that would be?” “I have checked your student list and have discovered that three of them have failed to attend any class at all for the last year.” That can’t be right. That kind of absentee would be an automatic expulsion. Luna herself made sure that every student in school had enough credit to graduate. And those that did not would immediately be subjugated to supplementary remedial classes or extra credit assignments. “There must be a mistake.” Celestia obvious didn’t believe it and with good reason. “There are no such students with such tardy records here.” “The records speak of themselves. I have their names right here.” He flashed his notepad at them which they immediately read. And the names listed drained the color from their faces. Adagio Dazzle Sonata Dusk … and Aria Blaze… … … … Oh for the love of… (Hoity Toity Trendsetter) Vignette Valencia poured everything she had in her designs. He blood, sweat and the tears of other poor sap who would soon be losing in the next round of the competition. She cannot afford to lose this competition. The amount of publicity she would get from the Grand Runway was simply too good to miss. Anyone who walked on that stage was bound to gain some manner of recognition from the industry. Even though she was an online star, the amount of screen time she gets from that event would make her years on the internet look like a simple meme joke. Rarity was a guaranteed shoe-in to have a slot in the top three. Hoity was practically ogling over her designs like a hyena. If she played her cards right, she’ll probably coattail her to the top and get her ten minutes of fame. It was a sly plan to be sure, but it was well worth it. “Ah Vignette. There you are.” Her hands stopped on her work when the legend himself dropped by with his secretary in tow. He often comes to the back of the amphitheater to check on his future protégés. “Is this a bad time?” “No!” She smothered her mouth to keep herself from squealing like a rabid fangirl. “Not at all Mr. Toity. Sir.” “Please. Call me Hoity.” He gave a slight gesture of a bow. “Mr. Toity makes me sound… pampered.” She wasn’t really sure if that was an insult. “Oh… of course. Mr… I mean… Hoity. How can I help you?” “I have a customer coming in later who ordered a custom dress for some school party tonight. However I’m having a hard time ensuring that it’ll be perfect. And seeing that you and she are of the same size I was hoping you could try it out for me.” “You mean I get to wear one of your very own original designs!?” Her grin widened immensely. “I would be honored!” “Wonderful.” Hoity’s smile turned sinister. “Please follow me secretary to the dressing room and we’ll have a fitting.” (School gym) Flash was perhaps the first to arrive at the gym where the last school party of the year was going to take place. He could tell that the group responsible for the decorations have done a marvelous job keeping the place up. “Alright Flash. I’m here.” Rainbow Dash groaned annoyingly, brushing past the double doors letting out a tiresome yawn in the process. “What’s the big idea coming out here at this time? The party doesn’t start until six.” The boy grinned, putting up his guitar on stage. “As part of the entertainment for the last school party, it’s the band’s responsibility to come early and make sure everything is on point. So if there’s any error, we can fix them before the gig starts. It’s called being punctual and professional.” Her eyes rolled at him. “Pfft. Yeah right. If your band is so professional, then where are they?” She gestured to the empty gym. “There’s no one here!” “Drum Roll has a dentist appointment and Bass Key and Sandalwood won’t be here until three.” “So why’d you text me to come early!?” “Because I wanted to make sure that my backup isn’t gonna chicken out on her deal.” Her snarl made him regret those choice of words. He quickly raised his hand up creating a shield. “Kidding… I’m kidding! There’s actually a very logical reason why I asked you to come here.” He then quietly led the girl to the back of the gym, next to the parking lot where a surprise waited for her. “What’s this?” She pointed at the blanketed object noting his cocky smile. “Flash… what did you…” “Tada!” He quickly pulled the covers away revealing her brand new/old bike. Rainbow Dash’s eyes bulged out of their sockets while her jaw slung down as if it was dislocated from her mouth. Her baby, Rainbow Blaze, looked like it had gone through a facelift. Her parts sparkled and shined like they were polished to perfection, the handle shimmered and gleamed while its chassis held that new leather smell. “Is that… my bike!?” She traced her fingers on its engine unable to believe her eyes. “Yup. The guys at the garage just had her tuned up and fixed the other day.” The boy proudly added, giving her room to put her fingerprint all over the classic motor. “But how’d you get the parts? I thought those things were…” She stopped when a thought came to mind. “How much did you spend on this?” “Nothing at all.” She didn’t believe it. “Come on Flash. You can’t fool me. The guy said that the parts were pretty much non-existent. You must’ve spent a fortune getting it.” “For once that’s actually not true.” He said truthfully. “The original parts for the Cloudsdale Angel classic are long gone after their factory went under. So I asked my dad if I could use the spare parts of other models. And would you believe it? We had a bunch of those lying around in our garage. These parts actually fit with the old one. The only price I had to pay was for the assembly, which you can pay me back later.” Rainbow Dash still didn’t believe it. With the way Flash had been flaunting his wealth around lately, she wouldn’t put it pass her to say that he’d spend top buck on her baby. All this shine and silver made her baby looked twice as pretty as before. Unable to resist the urge she hopped on and started the engine hearing it purr loudly like a creature of the road. She could feel the engine humming beneath her seat and the touch of the handle was smooth. Oh yeah. She could definitely see herself going country crossing with this baby. Her eye cast over to the side of the seat where she spotted a lightning bolt insignia printed on the metal. “I added that for a little flare.” Flash answered before tossing her a can of spray paint. “All it needs now is a little touch from you.” Rainbow Dash bit her lip trying to control her smile. (CHS Principal’s office) (Some time later) Celestia paced back and forth on her room one hand on her back and the other stroking her chin deep in thought. “This is a disaster!” The poker face she wore throughout the meeting had finally been dropped leaving a panicked woman exposed for all to see. “How could this have happened? “Calm down sister.” Luna spoke from her desk looking over the school records. “I know it looks grim but your pacing around the room isn’t exactly helping.” “Surely that kind of record can’t be accepted, can it? There has to be some kind of mistake.” “I’m sorry Lesty. But I’ve checked and double checked the records. Those three were officially and legally enrolled in our school. So in technicality they are our students and thus their grades affect the school.” “And how much will they affect our GPA?” “Well… if we put their absences and lack of attendance in all activities…” Luna typed down on her computer and winced. “You…… don’t really wanna know.” “Ugh… this is unacceptable.” The Principal paused when a thought came to mind. “Wait. I got it! That kind of attendance can’t be acceptable to our standard, right? So they’re eligible for expulsion.” “Normally yes. But seeing as we’re the ones who enrolled them under our ‘insistence’, the Board of Education will require a reason why we recommended them in the first place.” She groaned. “Everything. All their paperwork has our initials and approval. And it’s not like we can just tell them that we were under the influence of dark magic.” No we certainly can’t. But what else were they to do? Bringing those magically dangerous girls here to study alongside their fellow students? That was equivalent to having Granny Smith drive the school bus at full speed at the freeway. There was a reason why she specifically banned magic from Sunset and her friends. This school has had enough of magic and honestly the budget for repair was eventually going to raise questions. There had to be a way out. Something they can use. With a bit of hesitation, she turned over to her sister… sighing. Desperate time calls for hopelessly desperate measures. “Alright Luna. Give it to me.” “Give… what?” She tilted her head, confused. “An out. We need an out. If there’s one thing you’re good at, sister. It’s making excuses or finding loopholes in the system. You’ve gotten out of tough situations before with your knowledge. You can do the same here.” “Me?” She feigned shock. “Sister. I am disappointed that you see me in such low esteem. I would never do anything that would shine a bad light on me or this school.” “Come on!” Celestia pleaded, hands clasped together, begging. “I can’t afford to have the board breathing down my neck again. It took us years to rebuild the school’s grade to this level and we can’t have it crashing down on us now!” She cast a glance to the door making sure that no one was there before rising back up, rubbing the top of her nose. “Listen. I… am willing to bend a few rules if I have to.” “Egads!” Luna gasped unable to believe what she had just heard. “But Lesty. You’ve never willingly broke the rules before.” “I said ‘bend’… not break.” She corrected, her arms folded together. “If it’ll get Neighsay to back down and keep him from filing a bad report back to the board, then I’m willing to grant some leeway. I am not losing my position here because of that blood sucker.” The Vice-Principal gave it a thought. It was rare for Celestia to bend or break any kind of ground rule she set for herself. She was known to be the perfect citizen. And would never dare jeopardize anything. If she was going as far as to compromise her oath, then she truly must be desperate. But if she was willing to ‘bend’ a few rules… then maybe they had a chance. “Well… I suppose there is one way.” “What!? What is it!?” She clung to the table, eyes widened half mad. “The only reason why Neighsay brought them up is because of their lack of attendance, right? Well the only way we can counteract that is to… actually have them attend.” “Luna!” “Let me finish.” She raised her hand up in protest. “We only need them to attend for one semester, give them a passing grade. Afterwards they can drop out freely. We can then say that they simply transferred to another school and they’ll be out of our hair afterward. That way it won’t raise too much suspicion and the board won’t be able to question us. That Neighsay included.” She paused. “Especially Neighsay.” “But isn’t that… dangerous?” “Not if we play our cards right.” Luna grumbled. “We’ll put those three in the same classes as Sunset and her friends so that they can keep an eye on them. We can put it in as an… extra credit support activity. That’s where you come in. You’re in charge of all class schedules so you’ll have to put the extra effort.” Celestia bobbed her head dumbly. “O… ok? But that’ll totally ruin the perfect schedule I have for everyone. I finally mapped out all the classrooms using optimal routes and…” “Well if that’s how you want it, I guess you’ll be spending your next Spring Break meeting with the board begging them not to cut our budget.” … … “I’ll get started right away.” (Hillside House) “Yes! Perfect!” Rarity cheered as she waved her hands over her friend like a presenter. “It took some effort. It took some time. And it most certainly took some measure of luck. But we definitely found it. Sunset Shimmer. Allow me to present the new YOU!” She pulled out a mirror from out of nowhere and directed it over her friend. “Well? What do you think?” Sunset took a wondering glance at her own reflection and smiled weakly. Her new black dress went just above her ankles, sleeves complimenting with arm-length gloves, and the red engravings made it look like she was a burning charcoal. “I look like a volcano that’s about to explode.” She can’t really tell if she said that as a compliment or a jab. “Perfect! That’s exactly what I was going for, darling. Fire and Brimstone is the name and burning passion is the game! From the ashes of destruction you shall be reborn!” She gave a dramatic pause allowing the words to sink in. “You know? For your whole brush with fire and death and all that.” “Yeah. I get it.” Though she had to admit, she does look good in black. Surprisingly so. “Your face says to me that you like it, but your brain is saying something else.” Sunset winced. “How’d you know?” “Attention to detail is my talent.” Rarity reminded. “I don’t need the power to read minds to know what’s going through your head when your muscles are screaming at me, dearie.” She patted her dress down, flattening the wrinkles. “What’s troubling you now? Don’t tell me you’re still worried about Hoity Toity.” “Can you blame me?” Honestly no. But that was beside the point. “I’m worried he might try something to steal the Portal Stone. Again.” “Sunset. I know that you have a good reason to go after this man. But remember, you need to unwind as well.” The fashionista insisted. “Remember. A calm mind gives way to clear thinking. And what better way to calm one’s mind than to dance it off in a joyous celebration of food, music and wonderful company?” Her phone suddenly buzzed in her pocket prompting her to answer the text. “I know… but after that night I can’t help but get the feeling that he’ll try to pull another fast one on us. If only there was some way to spy on Hoity. Get more information and see where he’ll be next.” “Well you don’t have to look far.” Rarity giggled raising her phone up. “Because I might just have the answer you seek. My spy network in the business has provided me with just the opportunity for our grand master plan!” “You have a spy network?” She waggled her hand and rolled her eyes, chuckling awkwardly in return. “Ehh… ‘spy’ might be a bit of a stretch. It’s more like a person who was there at the right place at the right time. And when I said ‘network’ I actually meant, just one person. It’s Vignette. She spends most of her time perfecting her craft in the amphitheater. She just texted me about the next leg of Hoity’s pageant show. Next week’s theme is… Yakyakistan Royalty? HA! Please. That’s an easy win. All I need is a few rolls of silk from the supplier and I’ll be golden. Oh… maybe a few leather pieces as well for the native touch.” “Rarity!” The redhead snapped. “Focus! You said something about an opportunity.” “Ah… yes. My bad. Anywho. You know that we can never catch Hoity alone without his retinue following him around like a hawk. Not to mention the fans and paparazzi that would spend every moment to catch a glimpse of the genius himself. It is just absolutely…” “Rarity!” “Oh… right. Sorry. Anyway. Hoity is planning to host his pageant show at a newly opened resort at a place called Freefall Island. He’s planning to travel there incognito to scout the venue this Thursday. Making sure that everything is up to standard.” Freefall Island? Why did that name sound so familiar? “Wait a second…!” She gasped. “That island wouldn’t happen to be just off the coast of Canterlot beach, would it?” “Yup. There’s a ferry service that goes to and from that island. Why?” “Twilight told me that she detected a large source of magical energy coming from a castle on that island. It’s one of the many sources of magic around the city. Judging from the timing… this can’t be a coincidence.” She placed a hand over her chin in thought. “He might be after whatever’s generating that magic.” “And it’s the perfect timing too.” Rarity pointed out. “If he’s going to check on the venue secretly. That means he’ll be going there on private business. Which means…” “His usual entourage won’t be around him!” Sunset put two and two together. “We can catch him without making a scene!” “Precisely.” The fashionista bobbed her head proudly. “No lights, no camera, no crowd. But all action.” “Rarity, you’re a genius!” She brushed it off feigning humility. “Oh darling please. You should know by now that I’m far more than just a pretty face.” Another buzz came through her phone. “Oh! Vignette says that she’ll have more details soon. She’ll keep me posted on all upcoming events.” “We should tell the others. This could be the opportunity we’ve been waiting for.” (Hoity Toity Trendsetter) “iT Is dONe… MIsTeR… tOIty.” Vignette’s voice slurred like a puppet as she handed over her phone to the fashion star who grinned at the cute emoji response that came. Her eyes were blanks and dark leaving nothing but an empty void of the woman who she once was. Her head wobbled back and forth like she was trying to find balance between her jaw and her neck. Traces of blank ink stretched from her neck and wrists, like tendril digging into her very veins, poisoning her from within. Upon closer inspection, you could see those very tendrils extending from the clothes that she wore, fusing her as one with the fabrics. “Very good.” The fashion star nodded pleasingly. “It’s so easy for people trust one another. What better way to lure them to a trap than the word of a friend? Isn’t that right?” “yEs siR…” “Very good Vignette. Keep me posted with their activities. You may return to your wonderful designs.” The woman responded with a forced nod, before sluggishly making her way to the back of the amphitheater where many of her fellow designers resided, all of them sharing the same dark blank eyes and tendrils from their clothes digging into their bodies. A few of them looked downright zombified, with drools and snots coming from their faces and the forced effort put in each movement and action. They hardly acknowledge one another, but instead, kept all their focus on sewing, stitching and perfecting their designs, to be used for another sinister purpose.