//------------------------------// // Arc IV Episode II: Student Blackmail // Story: Family Begins With You // by Jmaster49 //------------------------------// While everyone was in their respective classes, Wendy had taken to hiding in one of the supply closets and contacting her boss. “Hello? Go ahead, Wendy.” “Master Blueblood? Good. I think they’re starting to catch on, sir. We can’t wait any longer. We need to strike as soon as possible.” On the other end of the call, the man huffed as he weighed his options. “Hrm…” Soon enough, he came to a conclusion. “Alright. Do you still have the photographs of the new professor’s eccentric activity?” From her pocket, Wendy grabbed the small pictures of Aidon accepting donuts from Pinkie, giving Applejack and Applebloom a ride to school, and having items such as rope and box cutters in the trunk of his vehicle. “That I do, sir. With one quick spin, these pictures are going to look extremely incriminating.” “Good. That’ll teach him to get too friendly with the students,” Blueblood said with a snicker, “Make him an offer he can’t refuse. That way, we’ll eliminate him from being a potential threat. After that, I want you to go ahead and take Adagio’s magic by force as soon as she’s done with her shift today. I’ll make sure she’ll spend the entire time moving and stacking boxes filled with heavy instruments so that she’ll be too tired to fight back against you.” Wendy squealed, and giggled. “Ooh! That’s genius, sir! You really know how to make a plan. Then I’ll finally be able to flex my powers and put that unsung sea demon in her place.” “And that’s why you’re my favorite worker. Now get going before someone gets suspicious of you.” “Of course, sir. Right away, sir.” Wendy hung up her phone, and snickered to herself as she put the pictures away. “...If that really is dark magic, I’m SO taking it for myself.” Meanwhile, in the Pro-Geometry class… This time around, the class had been given measuring tape that made musical flourishes depending on whether or not they had gotten their answers right. Not only did it make the class twice as fun, but the musically inclined Octavia and Adagio were both having a blast as they wrote notes each time a fanfare was played. DING-DING-DING! “BWAH!” Twilight yelped upon hearing the music when she measured out the distance of the triangle on the floor in the middle of the room, causing her glasses to nearly fall off her face. “Oh. It’s just the...ahem. Right.” “That’s correct, Tetra-Sparkle,” Aidon noted from the front of the room. “Knew you’d get that one. It was easy. Alright, who’s up next?” Twilight set the measuring tape down and handed it off to Lyra as she took her seat. “...As much as I’d like to deny it. This is both informative and entertaining. But I’m still not sure about him.” She watched as Aidon’s dark aura continued to permeate around his body in the thinnest of outlines. “Oh this is awesome,” Adagio muttered as she wrote down numbers in her notebook, “I never even knew musical measuring tape was a thing.” “Neither did I,” Octavia said with a giggle, “How’s that for modern? I wonder if your shop sells anything like that.” “Nah, it’s mostly old stuff,” Adagio said with a dismissive eye roll as soon as the subject of her workplace was brought up. “You might like it though. We have loads of trinkets and relics from the past involving music such as these beautiful Greek syrinxes that were generously donated.” “Is that right?” Octavia asked with a set of excitable eyes, “I’ve been dying to try one of those out for myself. Think I could come by and check them out?” Adagio responded with an equally enthused expression. “Sure! I’ve been wanting you to come by anyway--so I’ll be sure to show you around. A music buff like you would be a joy to discuss these ancient devices with.” “Stellar. I’ll try to be there before the shop closes today.” With that established, Adagio was elated to finally be able to show one of her close friends the fruits of her passions. Once the class was over, and everyone moved to the various rooms to get to their next lessons, Wendy took the time to slip her way into Aidon’s classroom and close the door behind herself. “Excuse me, sir?” “Hm?” the man tilted his head as he looked at this girl--an individual who wasn’t even taking his class. “Can I help you, miss?” “Well...I think a better question is: Can you help yourself?” He took off his glasses, and stared at her with a more stoic expression. “Pardon?” Wendy stepped forward and showed him the photographs she had taken. “These photos look normal enough, don’t they? But what would happen if they got leaked to the school board…” she said with a wry grin. “What is she on about?” Genuinely confused, Aidon had no other option than to play the ignorance card. “I don’t believe I follow. All I see is pictures taken of myself with Pinkie, the Apple sisters, and items in the trunk of my vehicle.” He raised an eyebrow. “Are you stalking me, miss? Because I’m sure that’s rather damning in and of itself.” “...Wow. You’re dumber than I thought,” the girl shook her head as she chuckled, “In that case, I’ll spell it out for you: A male teacher getting along too well with his female students? Inviting them to his house? Picking them up in his car? Not to mention calling everyone by cutesy nicknames,” she said while mockingly clasping her hands together, “All while you have items such as rope and hunting knives in your trunk. What are those even for? Wait--you know what? I don’t even care. You’re still looking suspicious either way. All it takes is one claim of harassment and your life is over.” His pupils shrank as he started to comprehend just what she was saying. “...So that’s what she’s doing. I thought those were just friendly gestures that humans performed for fellow humans. Is pony culture really that different from human culture?” But he quickly composed himself, and asked, “...What is your reasoning for doing this?” Wendy put the pictures away in her pockets, and leaned against one of the empty desks with a smug expression. “Let’s just say I want you to stay in your place. I know what you are and you’re not about to get in our way Mr. Shadow Pony--or should I say Shadowman? Hm. Regardless, you better head straight home today, or else.” “Dammit all. She knows what I am. If that’s the case, then she’s probably from Equestria as well.” Aidon stood up from his desk, his dark aura started to radiate off of his body. “You lay a finger on any of them, and you’ll have hell to pay, understand?” “Mmm…I don’t think so.” she pulled out a blueberry candy stick from her pocket and started to nibble upon it. “It’s my word against yours. And here in the human world, teachers are put under far more scrutiny than in Equestria. Especially the male ones. Like I said, all it takes is one little claim that you’ve touched me. So if you want your career to be over and to be outcast a second time, just say the word. I’ll make it happen.” “...” ‘A second time.’ Not only was Wendy aware of Aidon’s nature as a Shadow Pony, but she could also tell that he was brought into this world as an outcast from Equestria and wanted to get a fresh start. To lose something so valuable a second time… Wendy took his silence as weakness and continued with her arrogant spiel. “That’s what I thought. Take a seat, and don’t act out of line again.” After which, she turned and left the classroom. All Aidon could do was sit down in his seat and run his hands through his hair as he let loose a troubled exhale. “What am I going to do...I can’t let her win. Whatever she is…”