After the revelations from Applejack and the resulting blow up with Sunset and avoiding the concerned looks from her worried dog, yesterday had been rather stressful for Twilight Sparkle. Needless to say, she hadn’t slept well and that had all compounded into Twilight being a stressed ball of frayed nerves, even more so than usual, as she was being summoned once again to the one place that was guaranteed to drive her anxiety even higher.
Twilight wasn’t sure why she was being called up to the principal’s office. Principal Cinch had already tasked her with winning the Friendship Games tomorrow. Surely whatever other academic decathlon or research project she wanted accomplished could wait until after the principal's desired victory against Canterlot High was achieved. The teen knocked nervously at the imposing wooden door.
“Come in,” called the stern voice from within. Twilight tentatively pushed open the door to find the head administrator waiting with steepled fingers.
“Y-you wanted to see me, Principal Cinch?”
“Close the door and sit down.” Twilight obeyed, finding herself in the same low chair she had been less than a week ago.
“Miss Sparkle, when I selected you to head the team for the Friendship Games, it was not an invitation to slack off in your regular studies.”
“N-no, ma’am. I wouldn’t-”
“Then why were you absent from your classes yesterday?”
“Well, I had a b-bit of a development with one of my research projects and it was necessary to follow up on some of the data to ensure all the findings were recorded properly. I know I don’t usually take advantage of that part of my research studies, but I felt it was important in this instance. N-not that I was taking advantage of anything, it’s just that there was work that needed to be done for one of my projects.”
“Yes,” said Cinch, narrowing her eyes at the nervous girl, “And you have so many research projects with us at the moment. Tell me, Twilight, do you remember that a stipulation of those studies is that I be notified of any important discoveries or breakthroughs in your school sponsored research?”
“Y-yes, ma’am,” Twilight said, beginning to fear just where this line of questioning was heading. “I am aware, though I don’t know if my findings are quite ready to be presented to you.”
“Come now, Miss Sparkle, I think we both know that isn’t true,” said Cinch, a wicked grin spreading over her face. She pressed a button on her desk before calling to the hidden intercom, “You can come in now.” A moment later, a smug looking Indigo Zap walked into the office holding an animal carrier with a sleeping purple puppy inside.
“Spike?” the teen asked but got no response from the caged puppy. Turning back to the woman behind the desk she continued worriedly, “What did you do to him? Why do you have my dog?”
In response, the principal smirked and opened a hefty folder that had been sitting on her otherwise pristine desk. “Your dog? Miss Sparkle, I’m afraid you are mistaken. This animal is the property of Crystal Prep Academy.”
“What?!”
“Of course, or don't you remember the paperwork you and your parents signed regarding the research you conduct while studying in this institution?” Lifting the top sheet out of the folder, the woman began to read, “Crystal Prep Academy asserts ownership over research data and materials for projects conducted at the Academy, under the auspices of the Academy, or with Academy Resources.”
“But that doesn’t mean,” Twilight started to say before being cut off by Cinch quoting again from the document.
“Research Data and Materials include recorded, tangible, or intangible research information regardless of form or the media on which it may be record that is created or collected in the process of performing research supported by the Academy and include, but are not limited to; computer software, laboratory notebooks or notes of any kind...biological specimens.” The principal emphasized the final words and let them hang as the teen processed the implications.
“B-but, he’s my dog,” Twilight repeated dumbfoundedly, her mind unable to accept what the woman was saying.
“I’m afraid I would have to disagree with you on that, Miss Sparkle,” Cinch stated, a victorious grin tugging at the corner of her lips.
With a smug smile of her own, Indigo pulled out her phone and pressed play on a video. The video was of Indigo breaking into Twilight’s lab, and there, lying in the middle of the floor, was Spike looking ill and unable to stand up. And then he called out for Twilight. The worry in his voice made the teen’s heart clench. Then she spotted the triumphant look on the faces of the two before her and it made Twilight’s blood run cold.
“I think that a talking dog is noteworthy enough for consideration of my time,” smirked the principal. She reached over and pulled out another file and proceeded to leaf through it. “And the data you’ve collected on this new form of energy you’ve discovered is well worth it.”
“That- That’s my Everton entrance project. How did you get my research?” gasped the shocked teen. “That wasn’t part of any of my grant proposals. I never submitted any of that.”
“I thought one such as yourself would understand that knowledge is indeed power, Miss Sparkle, and one does not get to a position such as mine by waiting for information to be given.”
“But-but Spike isn’t even a part of my energy project,” Twilight stammered.
“Oh, we both know these readings say otherwise,” said the principal before pulling out another folder, “regardless, he most certainly is the subject of another of your Academy funded research projects,” thumbing through the folder and pulling out the proposal in question Cinch read, “‘Human/Canine Cohabitation: Effects and Implications’ I’m sure you remember the proposal but feel free to refresh your memory,” she said before putting it down in front of the nervous teen with the same authority as a master declaring checkmate.
“Y-you can’t take my dog,” Twilight stammered, finding the worry that had resided in her gut at the beginning of this meeting had migrated and taken up residence in her chest, pressing down hard and making it difficult for the teen to take in a full breath.
“Oh, our lawyers assure me, I can and as with everything else at Crystal Prep, they are the best, but feel free to test that statement for yourself should you wish to challenge these signed, and legally binding documents in court,” Principal Cinch said coolly. “Oh, if you were considering trying to transfer your research to another institution, let me remind you that any such transfer would have to be approved by the principal of Crystal Prep, and I assure you, I will not allow the loss of any of CPA’s projects to any other school be it Everton,” the woman leveled a knowing glare at the teen and practically hissed, “...or Canterlot High.”
“Canterlot High?” Twilight breathed the question clearly not indicating her puzzlement at the woman’s use of the name, but on the principal’s apparent knowledge of it.
“Don’t try to deny it. I know this energy project is centered on CHS. You’ve even had the audacity to meet with their principal, Celestia, in my school. Canterlot High cannot be allowed to claim credit for such a monumental find. Such a breakthrough could change the face of the world and immortalize those who discovered it. That will not be some mediocre, public high school.” Cinch stood from her desk and walked around to stand over the distraught teen. “I’ve seen the readings from your pet, and know it possesses some measure of this new energy, but it pales in comparison to what your data shows happening at CHS. So I will make you a deal, Miss Sparkle.”
“D-deal?” the girl in question asked nervously.
“Tomorrow during the Friendship Games, you will locate the source of this energy at Canterlot High and lead me to it. CHS does not have the resources or clout to manage this kind of discovery. A find of this magnitude should be handled by Crystal Prep.” The educator paused, clearly picturing what such a find would mean for her school’s reputation, before once again addressing the cowering teen in her office. “Once you procure the source of the energy for Crystal Prep, I will no longer need the modicum of energy that resides within your pet so he will be returned to you. You will then lead the research needed to harness this energy into a marketable form.”
Realizing the implications of the principal's last statement, Twilight’s jaw fell, “But my application to Everton. You said-”
“You will lead our research on the energy, unless of course you would like me to rethink my need for your dog,” Cinch cut in, her eyes narrowing dangerously. “Perhaps it would be best to evaluate the effects this energy has had on its internal systems. I’m sure a biological research team would be able to provide us with an...inside look.”
Violet eyes shrank behind thick lenses at the threat. “Please, no!”
“Then I believe you know what you need to do tomorrow, Miss Sparkle. The bus for CHS leaves at 7 A.M. sharp tomorrow. Don’t be late.”
Casting a look back to the cage held by the smirking Indigo, Twilight asked, “What about Spike?”
“Don’t worry. Miss Zap will take good care of him while you are concluding your work.”
“But…” the teen began but knew in an instant that no argument would get her purple puppy back to her today. With bitter resolve she stood and nodded. “Yes, ma’am,” she croaked in little more than a whisper before finding her way to the door.
Twilight left the office in a daze, her body on autopilot taking her back to her lab while the sickening emptiness welling up in her made her feel as if she might cave in on herself like a black hole. Entering her lab door, she entered and then slumped against the other side forcing it closed as she slumped to the ground, clutching her knees to her chest.
In all her time at Crystal Prep, she had never felt this alone. She had always had Spike, her number one assistant and loyal protector waiting for her after class, to ease the pressures of being the top ranked student or remind her that someone in the building cared for her after another round of her classmates’ harassment. It was the bright spot in her otherwise dreary existence at the “great” Crystal Prep Academy.
Now Principal Cinch was threatening to take even that away from her. This was how Principal Cinch used power, and now she craved more? The teen had long since come to understand the woman would stop at nothing to ensure the school’s, and by extension her own, reputation was the peak of excellence. Students’ lives and feelings meant nothing so long as the legacy of the institution was ensured. Even Cadance had complained that her job seemed less about assuring the students’ mental wellbeing and more about preventing burnout that would negatively affect the schools test results.
But what could Twilight do? Principal Cinch knew about the magical energy and worse she knew that it originated from Canterlot High. She had Spike and the energy that was already inside of him as well as the contract to take him away along with the high-priced lawyers to back it up. Not to mention a number of judges in town were Crystal Prep Alumni. How could a high school student, albeit a literal genius, stand up to such overwhelming odds.
Twilight shut her eyes and let her legs slide out from her grasp, flopping unceremoniously to the ground. The clattering of plastic on linoleum met her ears. Opening her eyes, she soon spotted the colorful culprit, an errant d20, the die likely left behind by Spike. The memory of the puppy's newfound excitement in the adventures of O&O made the teen smile in spite of herself. That’s what she needed right now, what Spike needed right now, a hero like from one of those campaigns. Her smile fell as fantasy gave way to reality. There was no hero to face the monster, no magic to save the day… Realization sparked behind thick frames. Grabbing her backpack, Twilight rushed out of the lab.
***
Twilight didn’t remember how she got home exactly. Her body seemed to have been running on autopilot for the most part. The only reason she even knew she had texted Cadance and told the dean she wouldn’t need a ride home today was because her phone had beeped with a response of, “OK, try and get some rest. Big day tomorrow.” The distressed teen found herself once again on the bus this time heading home, a single bag hugged tightly to her chest feeling oddly light in her lap as it only contained her schoolbooks.
Reaching her home, Twilight bypassed the front door and instead headed straight for the lab afraid of what she might find, or rather, what she wouldn’t find. Would Sunset still be there after what Twilight had said to her yesterday? The teen knew what the unicorn had been through with her Canterlot High friends as Spike had reminded her last night. Would her own rejection of Sunset push the unicorn to run away like she had so many times before?
Bursting in she was relieved to find a worried pony anxiously pacing her lab. The abrupt entrance caused Sunset to jump a bit, clearly having been too wrapped up in her own thoughts to hear the pounding of shoes on wooden steps.
“Twilight!” Sunset shouted in surprise. “I-I know you wanted me to go, but please at least let me…” Teal eyes finally chanced a look at the subject of the apology and found Twilight in a worse state than she, herself was. The teen’s eyes were sparkling with unshed tears behind her thick frames and appeared to be on the verge of collapse both mentally and physically. Sunset’s tone promptly shifted from nervous apology to firm concern at the sight. “Twilight, are you okay? What’s wrong?”
The distraught girl finally surrendered in the fight with her tears and sank to the floor as her sobs shook her from her feet. Sunset wasn’t sure what to do. She wanted to comfort Twilight, but with how they had parted before, the unicorn wasn’t sure how her attempts would be received. That concern though was tossed aside as her ears pricked forward at the increasing rate of the girl’s breathing. She could also tell from the pitch of the gasps that her breaths were becoming shallower.
The little pony quickly rushed over to the downed girl and, remembering what Spike did the last time this happened, she hopped into the teen’s lap. It was a bit strange for Sunset, despite her current size the pony had tried to maintain her independence while she had been around Twilight not wanting to be seen as small and helpless. The last interactions she’d had with people that had been borne from pity hadn’t exactly ended well and Sunset didn’t want a repeat.
The thought of curling up now on the teary girl still felt a bit weird. She wasn’t a pet after all, but upon seeing Twilight collapse and on the verge of a panic attack, Sunset pushed any embarrassment or pride aside in favor taking care of the distraught girl. Clearly whatever had happened to Twilight was serious and getting her to calm down and breathe was more important than whatever mental hang-ups Sunset had, so she allowed the girl to cling to her like the oversized plushy she resembled.
“Breathe with me, Twilight,” Sunset coaxed. “Deep breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth. Nice and easy.” Lavender fingers ran through red and gold locks, while the other arm held to the pony in a near death grip. Sunset however contained her wince and kept quietly soothing while demonstrating over exaggerated breaths of her own slowly getting the teen’s breathing to match her own.
Eventually Twilight and her grip relaxed until she was left gently petting the amber unicorn who was finding the sensation far more pleasant than she cared to admit (she did have an image to maintain after all). Violet eyes finally opened, and Twilight gasped at seeing the pony clutched to her chest. “Oh my gosh Sunset, I am so sorry, I-I didn’t mean to… That was completely-“
“Whoa, Twilight, easy. It’s okay. Everything’s going to be okay,” soothed Sunset.
Tears once again formed in the teen's eyes remembering the source of her grief. “No, it’s not, Sunset. It’s Spike. She took him.”
“Who took him?” Sunset asked.
“Principal Cinch. She found out about the energy project,” Twilight began fighting down sobs, “I’m not sure how, it wasn’t a project for CPA, it was my project to get me out of Crystal Prep. I kept all my research and data separate and away from Cinch, but it didn’t matter. She knew everything. She had my notes, my data files, and…and now she has Spike.”
“I knew she was a jerk, but how can she just take Spike like that?” asked Sunset.
Twilight’s sobbing picked up again at the question. “It-It’s my fault. I had him listed on one of my other projects. It was just in case anyone ever figured out I’d been bringing him in to school. I didn’t even think she looked at my proposals. She-she said he was school property, part of the collected data. A-and then she said, if I don’t procure the source of the energy for her tomorrow, she’s going to use the portion that’s inside Spike to further the research, and she’ll use whatever means necessary to get to it.” Twilight’s violet eyes found Sunset’s and the unicorn could see the hopeless, broken look in the teen’s streaming eyes. “What am I supposed to do, Sunset,” she sniffled, “I can’t lose Spike.”
“No one’s losing anyone, Twilight,” Sunset said, determination sparking to life, and setting a blaze a feeling she hadn’t had since the Battle of the Bands. “Now tell me exactly what happened.”