//------------------------------// // Chapter 9 // Story: Equestria Girls: Rage and Fear // by Time Agent pony //------------------------------// "You can treat this as ether a gift or curse," Amadeus Cho said, "treat it however you want." "But, how?" Flash asked. "Just remember," Amadeus continued, "the red guy in the back seat is going to want to have a go in the drivers seat and you'd better be prepared when he does and make sure that he doesn't hurt anyone." "So I should try and let out my rage and anger in a positive and controlled way?" Flash replied. "Yeah," Amadeus nodded, "something like that." Midnight was heading for her next lesson, when Rainbow Dash and Twilight confronted her. "Midnight," Twilight said, "please listen." Midnight glared at her sister, not wanting to listen to anything Twilight had to say. "We asked Principal Celestia to call the Xavier Institute for Mutant Education and Outreach," Rainbow Dash continued, "and there is no record of a Mirage having ever attended the school." "Your both lying," Midnight said, not wanting to believe what Rainbow Dash implying, "Mirage's been so helpful and taught me how to control my powers and my lantern ring." "She's trying to use you," Twilight insisted, "she's only helping you so she can use you as a weapon." "Shut up, Shut up, SHUT UP!" Midnight cried, "Mirage was right, I can't trust any of you!" "Midnight, you have to listen!" Twilight cried. "I DON'T HAVE TO LISTEN TO ANY OF YOU!" Midnight thundered, grabbing the girls with her magic and pinning them to the wall with a yellow construct. "Midnight, please stop," Twilight pleaded. "We're your friends," Rainbow Dash added. "The only friend I have is Mirage," Midnight replied, "she's the only one I can trust, since Twilight reported me to the principal." "Thats where you're wrong, Midnight," a voice interrupted. Midnight turned to see, the owner of the voice, Cypher along with Warlock approach her. "It was me," Cypher continued, "I told the principal about what happened on the soccer pitch." "I don't understand," Midnight responded. "Self doesn't like what is becoming," Warlock added, " is turning into a weapon." Midnight was silent for moment, then she let out a cry of anger and despair, now that the last of her friends had betrayed her. Before anyone could stop her, Midnight seemingly disappeared in a flash of yellow light. "Where'd she go?!" Twilight cried. Having managed to put some distance between herself, Twilight and the others. Midnight lend up against a wall and slumped down to the floor and put her head in her hands. "How could Cypher do that to me?" she said, "Why would he?" "Why indeed?" a voice asked. Midnight looked up to see Mirage standing over her. "Mirage?" Midnight said, "what are you doing here?" "I'm just looking out for my friend," Madame Rouge replied, "thats what friends do isn't it?" Midnight didn't know why, but the way Mirage said 'friends' filled her with a sense of dread. "Um," Midnight replied, weakly, "you were right, my friends did report what I did on the soccer pitch." "As I told you," Madame Rouge nodded, knowingly, "trust no one, not even your friends." "My friends and my sister also said," Midnight continued, "that you're not who you say you are, that you don't exist." "Come on," Madame Rouge answered, "who are going to believe? Me or them?" "When we first met," Midnight retorted, "you told me you transferred from the Xavier Institute for Mutant Education and Outreach." "Yeah," Madame Rouge replied, starting to worry where Midnight was going with what she was saying. "My sister and her friends told me that you never attended the school," Midnight carried on, "but if you're truly my friend, Mirage, then you'll tell me the truth, who are you, really?" "Oh, dammit," Mirage replied, "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this." Midnight watched as, right before her eyes, Mirage's appearance changed into that of someone else. "I was hoping not to reveal myself until the right time," the figure said, speaking with a completely different voice than Mirage, "but your curiosity and your friends meddling forced me to reveal myself." "Who are you?" Midnight asked, "What do you want with me?" "I am Madame Rouge," the figure replied, "and I was hoping to recruit you into the ranks of H.I.V.E., but I see now that you don't have the potential my superiors were looking for."