//------------------------------// // Discovery // Story: Equestria Girls: Love Is Magic // by onekface //------------------------------// Chapter 75: Discovery (CHS) The plan was working perfectly. That was what Fluttershy thought to herself. As she and Flash walked around the fair, she noticed people glancing over in their direction. Some were awestruck, some were confused, and most of all – they were looking AT them. The girl had locked arms with the guy, doing exactly everything Rarity taught her during their time together. Watching that silly romantic sit-com TV show really had its perks. She leaned close to him, practically hugging the boy’s arm like it was a comfort blanket. The girl didn’t even try to hide this time, instead, gracefully walking beside him with a hint of confidence. Fluttershy even went as far as holding his hands – which Rarity stated to be the epitome of couples sign of love and affection. She intentionally slowed down making sure everyone within range got a good look. And look they did. That’s right people. Sink it in. Burn it into your memories. Take pictures, whisper and spread it around. The more the better. This was perhaps the one and only time Fluttershy ever wanted attention. The stares, the judgmental looks on these peoples’ faces were absolutely priceless. She could hardly even fathom what they were even talking about at this point. But it didn’t matter. Look all you want folks. This is gonna be a once in a lifetime opportunity for you to gaze upon me and Flash to satisfy your obsessive curiosity. Wow… that sounded a little too much like Rarity. Perhaps she should dial it down a bit? Zephyr was true to his word for once. Flash really was a big fish in the ocean. The celebrity of the age. A popular kid in school who a lot of girls dream of dating. If people really saw them together, there was no way Feather Bangs would try to ask her out again. That was the idea anyway. I hope this doesn’t mean they can’t be friends. Angel on the other hand only gave her a look of disapproval. Oh what do you know, silly rabbit? This is for my benefit, in the long run. Sure, it was weird and awkward, but the reward was worth the torture. She just needed to hold her shyness in for a few hours and everything will be back to normal. Once everybody sees that the two of them were a-sorta-couple, they’d leave her alone for good. No more love letters, no more after school confessions or pain staking lies. “Uh… Fluttershy.” “Eep!” She squeaked only to pause when she realized it was Flash who spoke. “Um… ahem. I mean… yes?” “I know we’re supposed to look for Neighsay, but I don’t think walking around aimlessly is gonna do much here.” Oh right. Neighsay. She totally forgot about that broody guy. The reason why she brought Flash with her to begin with. It was doubtful the guy would stay anywhere in the fair. Knowing him – after that last encounter, he’d probably retreat back to his lair, or his office. He wouldn’t stick around here after he realizes that the gang was watching him like a hawk. “R… right. Neighsay.” She whispered. “Well if I were him I would… go to the most crowded place in the fair.” The boy blinked back. “Really? You think so?” “Absolutely. If I wanted to be out of sight, I’d do it in the place where there are a lot of people. A lot of witnesses.” Never thought I’d say that out loud before. “I dunno. That doesn’t sound like…” “Please Flash. You can trust me.” She replied sweetly. “Besides, if he does try something there. We’ll be the first one on scene.” “But you said he wasn’t the type to do harm.” “Did I say that?” She did. “Oh… well I say a lot of things. And there’s a good chance I could be wrong.” She didn’t wait for his response and gently grabbed him, taking the lead – willingly – for the first time. “Come on. We can watch the show.” The said show however was actually the announcement of the raffle winners that Crystal Prep hosted. Nearly half of the school was there to see it. “Is the grand prize really a… car?” Flash grumbled shyly as they saw the vehicle on stage. “Yeah. My dad donated it. Don’t ask. He kinda does this over the top stuff every now and then.” “Wouldn’t it be better if he sold the car instead?” “Yes.” Fluttershy opted to ask for more but decided that it was best not to. This was the life of the rich. Best to consider it normal for them. Still… it was a car for crying out loud. Who could afford to just toss out an old vintage vehicle like they were used socks? And who in their right mind in this school, would want to own one? “I DO~~~~~!” “Bwah! Pinkie!” “That’s my name. Don’t wear it out.” Pinkie gave a playful wink as she got between her and Flash, slamming her body on him like a cannonball. She was still dressed in her pony mascot outfit, which looked pretty worn right now. “Heya Fluttershy. Did you come to see the winner of the grand prize raffle ticket? Because spoiler alert, that person is moi.” “You bought a ticket?” “Nope! I bought 20 tickets.” She flashed them the said tickets like poker cards. “Cost me just my whole life savings and a little more from Maud’s wallet, which I’m sure she’s totally cool with.” xxxxxxxxxx “I’ll have a set of fish and chips please.” Maud requested to the clerk who quickly produced the said food. “And one taco for my pet, Boulder.” “Sure thing. That’ll be $2.99.” She quietly reached for her wallet, only to find a note inside with the letters ‘I.O.U’ with a doodle of Pinkie’s face holding a thumbs up gesture on it. Maud waited for a minute, eyeing the note like it was the best novel ever written. The cashier tried to call for her attention, but immediately stopped when he saw her mood darken. “Pinkie. I swear upon Boulder’s entire family. I… will have my vengeance…” xxxxxxxxxx “But it’ll be totally worth it in the end!” Pinkie continued. “According to my ‘Statistical analysis’, this raises my chances of winning the grand prize by 0.5%. That’s like… half a % higher than before! These other suckers don’t stand a snowball chance against me. Oh hey Flash. Whatchadoin down there you silly? The party’s up here.” “Hey… Pinkie.” The boy groaned back up. “You got a raffle too? I hear the second place prize is a new guitar.” The party gal elbowed him. “I’m good, thanks. Actually, Fluttershy and I were keeping an eye out for Neighsay. You wouldn’t happen to see a half-baked vampire wannabe with a chip on his shoulder, would you?” The girl puckered her lips in thought. “Hmm… no. Just regular looking folks on my end.” Her smile then suddenly turn seductive as she strutted to Flash’s side. “But I have seen a dashing handsome rocker boy wearing a cool leather jacket hanging around here. He seemed very suspicious.” She followed it up with a knowing wink, to which Flash responded with a chuckle. “Really?” He responded coyly. “And what did he look like?” “Oh. You know. Nothing special.” Pinkie shrugged comically. “Blue hair, blue eyes, wears a leather jacket, and loves to play the guitar. He’s also part of a band called the Flash Drive. You probably never even heard of it.” “You’d be surprised.” Flash gave a cheeky grin. “And what crime did this person do, exactly?” Pinkie leaned in to whisper. “He committed the grievous crime of being too handsome.” They burst out laughing a second later, which Fluttershy could do little but join in awkwardly. It sounded like a private joke of some kind, which was weird though. Not because it came out of those two. But the fact it sounded a lot like casual flirting. It might just be her insecurities talking here. But did… did Pinkie just flirt with Flash? (Everton Academy) (Admin Office) Twilight had only seen Chrysalis once before and she looked pretty intimidating even from a good distance. The woman had an air of authority around her. With that oddly greenish suit, semi-unkempt hairstyle, and that mighty gaze she carries around, she could probably freeze a grown man solid with a single look. Though if we were going through appearance alone, she’d look more like a tyrant than a teacher. All that was missing was a horde of loyal minions at her side who’d obey her every whim. While it might just be speculation, that woman was the biggest suspect in their investigation. She became Headmaster of Everton Academy only recently and came upon wealth through political connections. And according to Cinch’s journal, she met up with Chrysalis on a regular basis. Hinting that they’ve been working together on something. Twilight was more than certain that she was responsible for the earthquakes the other day. Her gut was telling her. That… and the woman looked downright evil from an aesthetic point of view. Seriously. Who wears a suit with that mixture of colors? And that hair? The combination only made her look more like a hybrid-insect than a human. If Rarity were here she’d say that she had a terrible sense of fashion. “You’re one to talk.” Twilight stopped and quickly leaned by the wall, opening a random book from her bag. Years of experience blending into the scenery back in Crystal Prep made her inconspicuous to the naked eye. Even without the standard uniform, no one would even notice her presence. “Did you get a look?” She whispered to her evil twin, not once taking her eyes off Chrysalis. “Oh I got more than just a look.” Midnight teased. “That woman really knows her stuff. The perfume she wears reeks like mint and coffee, her hair is atrocious, and don’t even get me started on her fashion sense. She kinda smells like your brother, after a hot date with Cadance.” “What? No! Eww! Why would you know that?! No! I meant the magic!” “Relax Twilight. I know exactly what you mean.” She gave an imaginary flick on the head. “I got a look at her. And…” “And?” “You were right. I can smell faint traces of Yaztec magic on her.” I knew it! “From what I can tell, she must’ve used a spell of some sorts for bits of wild magic to linger. As a matter of fact… I can smell some of it around here.” And she wasn’t wrong either. Twilight’s magic detector gizmo was suddenly giving off a faint beeping noise which was catching a whiff of magical energy all over the building. Whatever spell Chrysalis casted around here was powerful enough to leave a trace for her device. “Ugh… this is gonna be a lot harder than I thought.” “What’s the matter? Your little toy broke already?” “It’s not a toy. It’s a magic detector. It’s supposed to pinpoint the magical energy. But from what I can tell, whatever spell that was cast here was pretty powerful. We’ll need to pinpoint its exact location.” An idea then popped. “You think I should just ask her?” “Sure. That’s a great idea. I’m sure the lovely lady over there would be more than happy to answer. Just ask her if she knows anything about magic. It wouldn’t creep her out at all.” Her tone was practically dripping with sarcasm. “Don’t be an idiot. You really think you can just walk up to anyone and ask about something so bizarre? Have you forgotten that she was working with CINCH!? The lady who tried to steal your magic!?” “Ok ok. You don’t have to yell. It was just a suggestion.” She paused just as the green bug lady stopped to talk with a janitor. “Ugh… if only I had my lab. The device I asked Rainbow Dash to plant around the school won’t be ready until tomorrow.” “Oh for the love of…” Midnight Sparkle faced-palmed herself like she was dealing with a child. “Use that thing you call a brain for a minute. Think. Magic isn’t a normal thing around here. So if I were her, I wouldn’t openly use it where people would see me. And if I wanted to cast a powerful spell to test something. I’d do it somewhere no one would come looking or bother me. Somewhere safe. Secure. Somewhere like…” xxxxxxxxxx The Headmaster’s office! Duh! Of course. Why didn’t I think of that? It was just plain logic. And thankfully the office wasn’t hard to find in this large building. Just follow the signs and look for the most decorative door. That’s usually the one. Not to mention the name plaque on the door says it all. Principals and Headmasters often like to make their office look as welcoming and gaudy as possible. Principal Celestia was of no exception. She had her own trophies and diplomas decorated in her room to show off all of her accomplishments and shove in the faces of any who visits. She was a bit egotistical that way. But not that it made her look any less of a teacher than most. “Ahem. Focus.” “Right right. Focus.” She took a deep breath and quickly scanned her surroundings before shedding off the Cloak of Clover the Clever. This thing was far more useful than she ever thought it could ever be. Not to mention its versatility was immense. Maybe when this is over she could ask Sunset if she could keep it. It was 11:45. Which means that most of the staff and students would be off for lunch. There were no security personnel around, and the door to the office wasn’t even locked – which was kind of strange. Either this Chrysalis person was lax in her security details, or she was more open than she thought. No… wait. That’s not it. The lock is actually broken. The handle on the door was loose and there were a few screws that were out of place. Even the door was held together by a brick as it didn’t close all the way. A poorly made sign hung on the doorknob saying ‘No-Entry’. Huh… what a shabby construction. This was supposed to be the greatest learning establishment in the whole region. This was a terrible first impression. But hey… it was a benefit to her. Right. Let’s do this. She already committed one crime today, why not add ‘trespassing’ to the list? With a little push, the door gave in to a… Uh… what? “Whoa…” The Fallen Angel whispered as she floated in. Which strangely, Twilight had to agree. “What in the world happened here? Is this supposed to be an office or a dumpster?” She would choose the latter. The office was totally wrecked from top to bottom. There were papers scattered everywhere, bookshelves cracked and their contents spilled on the floor, shattered window glasses that were barely covered by the curtains, and don’t even get me started on the floorboard or the main desk. “Kind of reminds you of your lab after a failed experiment.” “Hey! It wasn’t that bad.” “You blew up the attic. Twice, with your super glue. And a third time after you made your dog a robot girlfriend.” Oh goodness. She hadn’t thought about that old project for a long time. Spike was having a bad week so Twilight thought it would be a good idea to make him a partner using genetic strains from her friends and a little bit of Timber. It sounded like a logical thing to do… until you realize that programming a dog to do dog things was a lot harder than it sounds. It started swimmingly well at first. Spike had a friend to play with and someone to practice his catchphrases on. But as the week went by, the robot buddy began to cling onto him like he was some kind of property. And when Spike finally got together with Fluttershy’s other animal friends, that’s when things really went out of control. The poor robot tried to exterminate them all with its laser eyes. It went on a bloody rampage, blasting holes in her lab and tearing all of her equipment like they were made out of paper. And it wasn’t like they could stop her either. That mechanical mutt had four Double-D batteries as backup. They had to keep it in the lab for hours till it finally died out. Apparently artificial intelligence can get really jealous. Who knew? “Yeah… that was bad.” She willingly admitted. “But at least my disasters were contained. It’s nothing like this place. Any idea what happened here?” “Not entirely sure. I’m willing to bet it has something to do with that.” Her twin gestured over to the center of the room where the floorboard bent inward. There was a dark mark there, which meant there was a fire. A big one. And whoever started it must’ve been in a rush putting it out, because that someone used an expensive looking carpet to smother it. And once again, Twilight’s gizmo began beeping loudly along with her geode. A strong pulse of magical energy funneled forward as if attracted to her like a font. “There’s no doubt about it. A spell was cast here. Something very complex. Something dangerous.” “Looks more to me like someone didn’t know what they were doing.” Midnight trailed her ghostly finger on the burnt floor, feeling a trace essence of magic. “This feels… strangely familiar though.” “We’ll take a sample and take it back to Sunset’s place for analysis. Come on. We need to look around for more clues. We only have a few minutes before we need to get back to the tour group.” “And how, pray tell, do you expect to find anything in this mess? You’d have a better chance looking for a very specific needle in a box of needles.” “Hey! You’re the one who said you would help me out in magical crisis. Well here’s your chance. Now start looking.” The Fallen Angel groaned and floated off, mumbling curses and annoyance to herself. But Midnight wasn’t wrong though. This place was a mess. Finding anything here would take a miracle. You’d think a Headmaster like Chrysalis would be more careful when delving into magic. Whatever she did here must’ve caused a powerful shockwave that sent every flying in all directions. The only thing not destroyed was her trophy case which displayed all of her achievements. She even had a photo of herself holding trophies. … Wait… Twilight jerked back at the photo. It showed a younger version of Chrysalis, grinning smugly in triumph holding a smaller looking trophy. But the woman standing next to her. The slim figure, long brown hair, blue eyes… “Is that… Sophie?” Flash’s mother? I couldn’t be… But her face, her hairstyle. It’s almost the exact replica of the one down at Sunset’s place. First the book she donated, and now this? First times are coincidences, but two is suspicious. What did it all mean? Argh! The questions just keep piling and not a single answer to be seen. But one thing was certain: Sophie had the answer. If only she knew how to perform necromancy to commune with the dead. Then she’d know all the secrets in the world. If only things were that easy. “Uh… Twilight.” Her alter ego called out in a trailed out voice. “You’re gonna want to see this.” “You found something?” “Oh… it’s… it’s something alright.” She gestured to the ground where an oddly familiar figurine stood. “Is that… a Portal Stone?” It definitely was. She could never forget something that powerful. Though this one appear to be damaged. The statue’s limbs were torn off, leaving traces of magic in its wake. It was as if someone was trying to pour energy into this figurine, hoping to cause a tear in the fabric of space and time. But without a gateway to focus the spell… it must’ve backfired… badly. Neighsay was right. The cause of the earthquake really was here. There was no doubt about it now. Chrysalis was the one responsible – and somehow Flash’s mother was related to it. There were too many instances for it to be mere coincidences. “But what does it all mean?” “You’re asking me? You’re the smart one. You figure it out.” Figures the most powerful magician here would be as useless as a tack on the moon. “Hey!” “Oh be quiet. At least we got all the evidence we need. If we show what we found to Neighsay, he’ll definitely come to the same conclusion.” “You’re actually gonna trust that blood sucker?” The angel groaned. “You know he’s gonna turn on you the moment he has no more use for you, right? It’s villain 101. He’s a total villain. I mean come on. Don’t tell me you actually buy that charade of his. ‘For the benefit of mankind’ nonsense.” “Of course not. But I have given him the benefit of the doubt. And so far he hasn’t done anything that would warrant our attention.” “Other than looking like the most cliché villain we’ve ever met?” “That would be you.” “Ooooh. Now that’s a stinger if I ever heard one. Well done.” Her compliment didn’t exactly make her feel better. But at least they got the evidence they need to start a case. If all goes well, this whole debacle might just sort itself out and they can return to their ordinary school life and graduate without incident. But like they say before… Should you ever challenge the universe… The universe tends to answer that challenge. “Hey! What are you doing here!?” Ah crap! Twilight snapped around and saw the Headmaster of Everton Academy waltz in, eyes glaring daggers in her direction. She froze like a deer in headlights, gulping a chunk of air. “Don’t just stand there like an idiot! Run!” “Run where!?” “I don’t know who you are, but this office is off limits to…” The woman paused when she noted the statue in her hands. “Give that back, now!” Oh crap, oh crap oh crap! Panicking, Twilight hastily brought her magical cloak over herself, vanishing into thin air. “What…!? Where did you…?” “RUN!” Twilight ran, unconsciously tackling the woman aside. She heard yelling, cursing and a whole load of shouting. But eventually she got clear of the building, and no one even saw her escape. (CHS) “No~~~!” Flash never thought he’d see someone drink their sorrow away today – or any day until he was 25 at least. He always pictured this kind of scenario to be like those movies, where he and his friends would stay over in a bar, wallowing in their misery over a stiff drink. But life had a way of surprising you. Because that was exactly what was happening. But in this regard, the bar was a corner kiosk, and the stiff drink was a smoothie, and his friend who was wallowing in misery was… Pinkie Pie. “Aww… there there.” Fluttershy cooed, stroking Pinkie’s hair, easing the poor girl who was bawling on the table like a baby who got her candy stolen. “It’s ok. Don’t be sad. There’s always next time.” “There won’t be a next time!” Pinkie whined, slurping her fifth smoothie down like it was water. “I don’t understand how I could lose! I had 20 tickets. 20 tickets! The odds of me winning should’ve been way greater than the others! I spent a whole month of my allowance, plus my babysitting money, and Maud, to get them all! And now… they’re worthless! Worthless! Just like one of my prized deflated soufflé to Rarity.” She held up the said tickets as they spilled from her fingers and scattering to the floor. Her head slammed onto the table again, drowning herself in a pool of her own tears. “Boo… I should’ve listened to that fortune teller. She told me that my luck would be sour today. But I decided to challenge the universe and it bit me right back. And now… I’m doomed! Doomed!” And here I thought Rarity was the dramatic one. “It’s not so bad.” Flash chimed in coolly. “You still got a consolation prize out of it.” “Says you.” Pinkie tried to make a hissy face. But instead of being all intimidating and scary, it came out cute and adorable. It was like a puppy pouting after visiting the vet. “You’re not the one whose family drives an old steam-powered car. Ugh… now I gotta start from scratch again. I’ll never be able to catch up with Limestone now.” “Your big sister who’s studying abroad?” “Yeah. She promised to teach me driving if I ever get my own car. And this was my one chance to super-duper bond with her. Not to mention having a super cool car to show off! Now I’ll have to settle with cookies and pancakes.” Flash shrugged back. “Well… look at it this way, Pinkie. Instead of being unhappy. Why don’t you try being happy for the winners? I mean look at Professor Doodle.” He gestured to the side of the road where the said professor stood, grinning childishly as Sombra handed the keys to his new prize. “You can’t possibly put a price on a smile like that now, can you?” Pinkie seemed to be thinking it, because her expression went from somber, to annoyed, and then back to somber within a few seconds. “I guess so.” “There there.” It was his turn to rub her fluffy hair to which she purred at the touch. “Tell you what. I’ll have Edmund whip you that cake you like so much.” Her mood immediately turned a complete 180. “The choco berry blasted butter biscuit bun cake with five and a half layers of chocolate!?” “How do you do half?” Fluttershy asked innocently enough which was left ignored. “The same one.” The boy confirmed it. “I’ll have it delivered to Sunset’s place tomorrow.” The pinkette let out a squeal as she brought him in for a tight hug. “Awwww… Flashie. You know just what I need to get me through the day.” “Wouldn’t be the first time.” He let out a cheesy laugh, returning the hug. None of them aware of his scar flaring once more.