//------------------------------// // Chapter 20 // Story: Severed Ties // by Carol Heart //------------------------------// “Spike!” Twilight chastised, “You know you’re not supposed to bite people. I thought I’d taught you better than that.” Sunset and Spike had just finished telling Twilight about the excitement they’d had while she had been attending class. They had left out the part about using magic and left it at Spike attacking Indigo and making her run out of the lab. “Hey, go easy on him,” Sunset intervened, “he was just doing it to protect us. If he hadn’t stepped in, Indigo would have seen me and gotten a hold of your magic research.” “Yeah,” smiled the dog, “Sir Spike saves the day once again; defeating bad guys and saving damsels in distress.” Sunset rolled her eyes at being categorized as a damsel in distress but ultimately held her tongue in favor of letting the little dog have his moment. “That’s not-” Twilight started to argue about the use of the term 'magic' again but was tired of arguing terminology with the unicorn. “He still shouldn’t have bitten her,” the girl said, her anger turning to worry. “What if Indigo reports him to Principal Cinch.” “Don’t worry you said the school okayed you having Spike here, right?” “Yeah, I have him listed as the subject of one of my experiments for one of my many grant applications. Given my past successes, they kind of just rubber-stamp those things for me, but it meant I got to have a friend with me at school so stretching the boundaries of the rules was worth it.” The scientist reached over and scratched her "test subject" behind the ears. “Well that’s it then,” reassured the pony. “The only way Indigo can say Spike attacked her would be to admit that she broke into your lab. A lab that was given to you to advance your research and the prestige of the school. Something Indigo might have jeopardized by messing up potentially dangerous and time-consuming research projects by breaking in and tampering with your equipment.” A smile grew on Twilight’s face realizing the logic of Sunset’s argument. “She won’t say anything or it would just get her into trouble as well.” “Exactly, so stop worrying about it when we have a soccer game to get ready for.” Twilight nodded and stood to retrieve her pendant, much to the dismay of Spike who had been thoroughly enjoying the attention. “Alright,” Twilight sighed thinking over their plan, “And you’re sure we have to sneak into the locker room? Wouldn’t it be easier if we just siphoned the energy from the bleachers? There is a clear line of sight from them to the team benches.” “It may be safer,” agreed the pony, “but I doubt Rainbow Dash will be spending a lot of time on the bench.” Sunset smiled before continuing, “Besides, even if we were able to collect her energy while she was playing, all the previous attempts at magic collection have left the person drained and lethargic.” The unicorn frowned, “One time during freshman year Rainbow went down during a game trying to go for the ball. Another player came in after, she didn't want to step on her so she tried to jump over Rainbow but didn’t manage to clear her. Dash took a knee right to the face, broke her nose, and left her with a nasty concussion.” Twilight looked at the unicorn as a myriad of emotions played across her face, making the teen wonder if there was more to the past injury than the pony was letting on. Finally, Sunset seemed to have fought back the roiling emotions over the memory and continued, “I-I just don’t want to see her hurt again. Especially not because of something I did.” Not knowing how to respond to that the scientist just nodded and the pair headed out for the locker rooms. *** Indigo Zap stood in the dimly lit principal’s office fidgeting uncomfortably. Not that she was a stranger to being in the administrator’s office, but she was usually being praised for her sports skills not being dressed down by an irate educator. “So, you broke into Miss Sparkle’s private laboratory, where you...tripped," Cinch raised a questioning eyebrow at the goggle-wearing athlete before her tone took on a sterner edge, "potentially damaging any number of sensitive school funded projects that girl is running.” Principal Cinch leveled a stare at the athlete over her steepled fingers, “and you don’t even have the information I told you to gather to show for it.” “Principal Cinch, it’s not my fault. Her dog…” “Yes, so you said. ‘A... ferocious monster’ that attacked you.” Cinch lowered her arms, crossing them on her desk before her. “Miss Zap, I am aware of Miss Sparkle’s puppy, and while I dislike the creature it is hardly what I would consider vicious.” “But-” “No more excuses, Miss Zap. I tolerate your behavior because you are useful to me. Should that no longer prove to be the case, perhaps it is time Dean Cadance is made aware of your actions against Miss Sparkle. I’m sure she’d be upset to learn of your treatment of her future sister-in-law.” Indigo blanched at the threat. Dean Cadance was typically considered the nicer of the two administrators, but Indigo had learned previously that was not the case when it came to offenses against the teen scientist. Finding out that they were practically family explained the look of rage that the athlete had seen when she received her punishment from the normally friendly woman. Indigo had learned that day not to do anything to the nerd in sight of Dean Cadance. Twilight herself never reported Indigo, the athlete had made sure of that. But Principal Cinch knew everything that went on in the school, the better to provide leverage to ensure that the students did what she wanted. “No. Um, that won’t be necessary.” “Twilight Sparkle is the most brilliant student we’ve had at Crystal Prep. Her name as an alumnus will help to enhance the already impressive reputation I have striven achieve for this school. I will not lose her to Everton. Now tell me why you couldn’t take care of her application experiment.” “I’m sorry, I-I can go back and try again, and it wasn't like I got nothing though,” Indigo started, pulling out the phone from her pocket. “I managed to get a few pictures of her work just not the computer stuff.” Setting the phone on the desk, only earned a look of contempt from the Principal. “Look if I’d know you were after her little glowy thing, I would have snatched it the other day. It’s smashed though so I doubt Sparkle will be able to use it for anything, not after the fireworks that thing caused last Friday.” “Fireworks?” the principal questioned, earning the athlete the barest of consideration. “Um, yeah, after her project-thingy got smashed, and it started shooting off some kind of light show.” The athlete paused remembering the details. “You mean that sub lady never told you about it?” “What sub?” the principal asked, leveling a glare at the athlete. Cinch prided herself on knowing everything that went on in her school so insinuating that there was something that she was unaware of meant either lies from the student in front of her or insubordination from the faculty. “We were um...chatting in the hall after school, making sure Sparkle understood just how important the Friendship Games are for the school and everything when we were approached by some lady I’d never seen before. She sent us off and was with Sparkle after her doo-hickey went nuts. Figured she must have been a sub since I haven’t seen her around school before. Some lady with rainbow hair.” “Rainbow hair…” the principal’s reply died in her throat as she saw the picture on the phone that was open in front of her. A bulletin board centered around a building she’d made numerous visits to in recent months to prepare for the upcoming Games. Indigo, however, did not seem to notice Cinch’s lack of attention. “Well not like a rainbow-rainbow, more like a pastel rainbow or something, and she was tall...like super tall. Like I would not want to play against her in a basketball game...” “That is enough, Miss Zap,” Cinch cut in, rage being barely contained behind her mask of professionalism. Closing her eyes a moment, the principal took a moment to calm herself before once again fixing the sports captain with a withering gaze. “Now, I believe you have a game to prepare for do you not?” “Uh, yes, ma’am.” “Good. I suggest you get going. This is a big match after all. Facing Canterlot High on the eve of the Friendship Games. Make sure you remind them of their place. We wouldn’t want them going into the Games with any sense of false hope.” “Yes, ma’am,” Indigo replied quickly heading for the door but was stopped by the cold voice of the principal. “Oh and, Miss Zap, don’t disappoint me again. “If you can’t succeed in anything you were brought to this school for, then perhaps those scholarships should go to someone more capable.” “I-I understand,” the goggle-wearing teen said, biting back her anger. “This is all Dorkle’s fault,” she thought as she stormed off toward the locker room, her menacing presence causing several people to jump quickly out of her path. This was supposed to be her year. Being named captain of Crystal Prep's Friendship Games team was supposed to be hers, something even her saintly sister, Supernova, hadn't accomplished in her tenure at the school. Something that might finally have her parents saying something great about her. It wasn't good enough that she was the captain of three sports teams and in the top percentile academically. No, not in her family. Leading the team to another state championship was nothing when your sister was signing recording deals and making platinum albums. But everyone at Crystal Prep, past and present, knew what an honor it was to be made captain of the Friendship Games. Crystal Prep only accepted the best into its school and being made captain meant that she was the best of the best. It was supposed to be hers but instead, Cinch gave it to her little pet Sparkle. A low growl issued from the athlete's throat as she stormed into the locker room. “I’ll make that nerd pay for taking what was mine.” *** Watching the athlete go, Cinch flicked on her computer and navigated over to bring up the security feeds for the school. Having a reputation for being the best of the best extended to campus security, and the fact that Cinch could utilize it to keep tabs on her students was simply an added bonus. Pulling up the footage from last Friday, Principal Cinch fast-forwarded through the various feeds until she located Indigo Zap and her friends. It was clear from the video, as Zap punched the locker inches from Twilight Sparkle’s head, that the girl was more than just talking to the young genius about the Friendship Games. Cinch frowned at being lied to, but as Indigo had not actually harmed the girl, perhaps it would serve as the proper incentive for the girl. Despite all Cinch had done, it was clear that Twilight was less than motivated about participating. Then she saw it. Just as Indigo said, a woman appeared on her screen. Though the cameras were only displaying a black and white image, Cinch knew he hair to be an aurora hued rainbow. “Celestia,” Cinch growled out at the face adorning the monitor. “What was she doing at my school?” Cinch thought. “We didn’t have any meetings scheduled that day.” In fact, most of their business had been done over the phone as the other woman always seemed to be busy. Some sort of scandal that had hit the school around Christmas and Canterlot High was still dealing with the fallout. Another embarrassment for CHS after the explosion at the beginning of the year and whatever fiasco their so-called "Battle of the Bands" devolved into. But then what was Celestia doing with at Crystal Prep, and withTwilight Sparkle no less. Clearly, she would need more information and it was obvious that Indigo Zap could not be trusted to procure it for her. Somethings she just had to handle herself. With a sigh, Cinch closed the feed and pulled up the records for Twilight Sparkle and began sifting through the various academic achievements as well as the numerous grant proposals for her research. Opening her computer she used her administrator access to log into Twilight's files. It would have been better if Indigo had done her job and gotten the files and wiped the computer as instructed. But apparently, even that was beyond the school brute, a true feat as she had only been required to run the already created program off a thumb drive. A necessary go-between when the goal was simply destruction. A degree of separation was always better and should suspicion ever arise, Cinch had the perfect scapegoat. Now though, the goal was information. What was Twilight up to, and what did it have to do with Celestia? Skimming through the most recent files, Principal Cinch soon came to what she was looking for. Graphs and data all centered around one location...Canterlot High. Reading through Twilight's initial analysis if something she dubbed "mystery energy" Cinch's eyes bulged. If these calculations were right, the amount of power being generated at that school could change the face of energy consumption for the world. This couldn't happen. The technical revolution of the century would not be the product of Canterlot High. Abacus Cinch would be damned if she let Celestia poach her best student and this breakthrough from her. If Twilight Sparkle thought she could leave Crystal Prep that easily, clearly she was not the genius Cinch thought her to be. Skimming over the files and applications, her eyes fell on one in particular that made her pause. Yes, this was just the leverage she would need, but Cinch wasn’t one to put all her eggs in one basket. She didn't get where she was by not having options to fall back in. While this should serve to deter whatever plans Twilight Sparkle may have about transferring be it to Everton or...ugh...Canterlot High, Cinch would be sure that Celestia didn't have the chance to announce this revolution even without Miss Sparkle. Pressing the intercom button on her desk, she heard Cadance’s voice. “Yes, Principal Cinch?” “Dean Cadance, please locate Miss Sour Sweet and have her report to my office as soon as possible. Tell her I have a new project for her.” “Yes, Ms. Cinch,” came the voice of the dean. “Oh and Miss Cadance,” said the principal, “this is a matter of importance. See to it that she is excused from her classes and provided with whatever materials or assistance she requires.” Glancing down at the blueprints on her desk resembling a large compact with a display screen, Cinch smiled.