“Principal Celestia never thought I was behind Anon-A-Miss?” Sunset breathed.
“Ha! Are you kidding?" scoffed Gilda, "When she found out what I’d done, she had me in the office so fast it would have made Dash jealous, and I was pretty sure the look she fixed me with when I got there could have melted stone.”
“Wait, doesn’t V.P. Luna usually handle discipline issues?”
“Yeah, but Principal Celestia handled everything related to Anon-A-Miss and your disappearance personally. I think the whole thing hit her kind of hard. Not entirely sure why, but I do know the V.P. had to talk her down before she came in to see me.”
“Wait, Vice Principal Luna...Nightmare Moon herself was the voice of reason when it came to disciplining students?” Sunset asked slack-jawed. The legend of the vice principal's glee in handing out punishments to misbehaving students was well known and resulted in earning her the foreboding moniker which served as a deterrent for many in and of itself lest you face her wrath.
“Yeah, and let me tell you, an angry Luna is nothing compared to a pissed-off Celestia.”
“I actually have some experience with that too,” Sunset sighed. “She doesn’t get you with yelling and punishments. No, it’s disappointment. Disappointment because she always sees the good in everybody and you had to be the one to prove her wrong.”
“Yeah, Principal Celestia asked me why she should give me a second chance. Me being the arrogant jerk I was said I didn’t do anything worse than you ever did and she gave you one. She fixed me with that fiery soul-searing glare and said, 'Yes, and you stole that from her.'"
Sunset’s jaw dropped at the description of the gentle and kind educator. “Are you serious? That does not sound like the Principal Celestia I know.”
“Yeah, freaked the hell out of me too and wiped the smirk right off my face. Celestia said you’d shown real remorse after the Fall Formal and made the best of your second chance. She said you were turning your life around until I took that from you. Then she said she wouldn’t be giving me any more chances. At that point, I wasn’t sure if she was going to expel me or just hold me for the cops.
“Then Principal Celestial stared me straight in the eye and said the only chance I had was the one I’d taken. I’d already screwed it up for you so messing it up for myself wasn’t an option, and I owed it to you to become a better person.
"And then we found out who was really behind Anon-A-Miss, and I knew she was right. So, I busted my ass in detention and apologized to the Rainbooms who are surprisingly forgiving, which is something else I should probably thank you for. Rainbow Dash in particular stepped up, even after the bad blood between us. She got me onto the Big Sister program she’s in with Scootaloo. That’s where I met Gabby.” The former bully fished her phone out of her pocket and swiped it open to reveal a picture of Gilda with a shorter girl with a grey complexion and large blue eyes. The younger girl was glomping on to Gilda who despite trying to look cool, clearly couldn’t hide the smile on her face.
“I owe it all to you, Shimmer. I didn’t really believe Dash when she said you might be here, but if there was even a chance, I knew I had to try. I wanted to show you that I didn’t blow my chance...our chance...and it’s thanks to you.”
Sunset had always been observant, it was how she had learned all the secrets that enabled her to rule the school. She hadn’t missed all the signs that her friends and the school had been truly sorry for what they had done. Rainbow Dash’s locker room speech, the story Twilight had overheard Fluttershy tell at the shelter, the apology from Applejack to Twilight, and now the decorations and uniforms for the CHS Friendship Games team. She had begun to suspect that her friends were sorry but had refused to believe it. Now though, seeing it here in the journal messages and even directly from the one who had physically hurt her, Sunset felt something inside give, and the walls that she had struggled to maintain through this whole ordeal finally crumbled.
Hugging onto Gilda’s midsection as best she could with her little forehooves, Sunset cried into the former bully’s t-shirt releasing over a year’s worth of frustration, heartache, and pain. She was overwhelmed by feelings of relief and happiness knowing that she was wanted and loved. That those who had wronged her were trying everything they could think of to make it up to her, to show her that they too were worthy of forgiveness. Gilda stared down at the former she-demon and now adorable unicorn and, unsure of what to do, awkwardly placed a hand on her back and patted it soothingly, letting the tiny pony cry it out.
“Thank you, Gilda,” Sunset said when she had gotten it out of her system. “I really needed that. And for what it’s worth, I’m really happy you turned it around. You seem much happier.”
Gilda beamed. “Yeah, I am. Uh, what about you? I mean don’t get me wrong, I’m really happy to see you, but you didn’t seem that excited to be here. And uh, why are you a unicorn?”
Sunset rubbed one hoof anxiously against the opposite foreleg. “Yeah, coming back wasn’t exactly my idea. There was an accident and I got pulled back like this.”
“Oh,” Gilda said, sounding crestfallen. “So now that you're here, what are you going to do now?”
“I still have to go back," Sunset said, knowing it wasn't what the other girl wanted to hear. "This world isn’t ready for tiny talking ponies, but maybe there’s a chance of getting the portal to work if we can stabilize the magic on this side of the portal.“
“How do you do that?”
“I’m not sure, but I do know someone who might be able to help figure it out, but first I have to help her.”
Just then, Sunset felt it. A familiar surge of powerful magic as a wave of thaumic energy surged from somewhere in front of the school and washed through the building causing the little unicorn to stagger. It was a sensation she recalled from her darkest day. The power behind the magic carried a dark miasma that called to the parts of Sunset that she had long since forsaken but knew were still a part of her.
“Oh, that’s bad,” Sunset said, visibly shaken.
”Why? What was that?”
“That surge was magic, corrupted magic on the scale of what happened at the Fall Formal. I need to go see what happened and try to stop it."
“What can I do to help?” The offer was immediate and clearly genuine. Gilda obviously wanted to prove that what she’d said was true and was willing to help in whatever way she could.
“I need to get to the front of the school and check on whatever caused that. I was supposed to be looking for my friend’s dog. I’m pretty sure that the Crystal Prep principal is holding him hostage.”
“Seriously? What kind of sicko kidnaps a defenseless do...oh um, no offense.” Gilda looked away at the awkward slip-up, remembering Sunset’s actions at the Fall Formal.
“Anyway,” Sunset continued unable to suppress an eye-roll, “I need you to go check the Crystal Prep bus out back in the faculty lot and try to find him. He’s a purple puppy with green ears. He also talks… don’t ask. Just do what you can to get him away from Crystal Prep. Take him to the girls or Principal Celestia or Vice Principal Luna. They’ll know what to do.”
“You got it,” Gilda said, standing and giving a little salute to the tiny pony before heading towards the back entrance.”
“Oh,” Sunset called to the retreating form, “and, Gilda, thanks. I’m glad your life took a turn for the better.”
“Thanks, Shimmer. I owe it all to you,” the tough girl called as she jogged down the hall and thought, I just hope yours does too.
***
Her mind set, Twilight unclasped the device and let the magic flow out. For a brief moment, the containment enhancements she and Sunset had worked so hard to improve held, leaving the magical energy suspended as a beautiful glowing orb of power. Then the containment failed and the whole area was bathed in a magenta explosion of light. The resulting concussion from the blast knocked all those in the courtyard to the ground.
All except Twilight Sparkle. She stood in the eye of the magical storm and felt the magic all around her. It connected to her; called to her. She remembered her discussions on magic and the lesson Sunset had given her on the Elements of Harmony and the Magic of Friendship. This was likely where her princess doppelganger united the Elements of Harmony to cleanse Sunset of her corrupted form. The thought made her glance down for any sign of the crater Sunset had mentioned, instead, she spotted her fellow Crystal Prep students and Principal Cinch. She remembered what they had done to her and what they were threatening to do to her and her friends now. She couldn’t let that happen. She had the power now. She would stop them from hurting anybody else and show them all what it felt like to feel powerless.
As the magic built, it lifted her off the ground. The siphoning device fell away landing on the ground and rolling away. It was no longer necessary. The magic had found a new vessel. Twilight could feel it now, it was like a part of her had been missing. The energy built and grew as it resonated with the hovering teen. Then with a final glare at her downed principal, Twilight allowed the magic to take hold of her. The energy coursed through her, supercharging every molecule in her body. She didn’t know how to describe it. In an instant, she was all pain and power. Her body was on fire. It seared away the weakness leaving only the strength and determination to do what was necessary.
Her body transformed to better contain the magic that surged through her. She felt wings sprout from her back, but they were not the bat-like wings Sunset had described gaining during her transformation. These were large and feathered. She then felt the horn forming on her forehead and her senses were opened to a whole new world. She could feel the latent energy of the portal and of the students of CHS. She could sense it all. She began to understand why Sunset had so much confidence in the powers of her princess counterpart if this was the power she controlled. And now she controlled it too.
“With this power, imagine what I can do, what I can learn, and no one will ever hurt me or my friends again.”
The newly empowered girl’s eyes flashed open, and as they did so a glowing teal light matching that of her newly acquired horn encircled her eyes and infused her sclera. The glowing orbs fell on her former bullies cowering below her. Girls that had tormented her for years for being smarter than them or winning whatever competition she had been required to participate in for the school. Girls that had demeaned and abused her were now huddled in fear beneath her. It almost made the years of ridicule worth it, but then she noticed Principal Cinch, the source of all of it, trying to slink away.
The raven-winged being released a menacing chuckle at the thought of Cinch believing she would be able to escape her punishment. As if there was anywhere now that was beyond the reach of the demigoddess’ power. A blue hue pulsed through her crooked horn, and Crystal Prep’s principal soon found herself floating back towards the dark angel that had once been her prized pupil.
“You were right. I was powerless before,” the super-powered girl chuckled, “but not anymore.”
“Y-you can’t,” the trapped educator stammered.
“Oh, I assure you, I most certainly can.”
Her horn once again lit with a surge of power, this time channeling it down her arm. Taking aim at the rearing horse atop the plinth concealing the portal, she loosed the blast of magical energy. The Wondercolt statue shone brightly in a wash of magical light before the surface began to give way to cracks and splinters that finally gave way as the entire thing exploded showering the courtyard in debris.
When they could look again, the spectators found that the blast had not only demolished the steed, but the very reality around where the statue had been causing a fissure of glowing light to appear and expand revealing the same medieval-style village she had shown them before.
The magic didn't stop there, it continued to spread and the crack in reality grew. The magically charged girl cotinued to release more blasts at the other tears causing them too to open revealing a variety of locations from small towns to skyscrapers, familiar things like farms to fantastic wonders like a rainbow waterfall. And in each location, a variety of brightly colored ponies going about their lives in their peaceful world. Lives that the odious woman in her grasp had threatened to harm just for her own prestige.
Glancing down, the angel of vengeance saw another crack spread across the ground directly beneath where they hovered. Releasing another wave of energy, the portal was ripped open forcing the other Crystal Prep students to dive out of the way as the ground crumbled to nothingness.
“Here it is, Cinch, the world you wanted to get to so badly that you blackmailed me, stole my research, kidnapped my dog, and threatened my friend.”
Around the courtyard, the students of both schools began to mutter amongst themselves on hearing just what the principal of Crystal Prep had done to drive her student this far. Cinch saw looks of shock and disgust on not just the Canterlot High students, but her own Shadowbolts as well.
It was the voice of Celestia that drew her attention. Despite the noise of the students, the voice of the rival principal could be heard clearly. “Oh, Abacus, how could you?” The look on the CHS principal’s face was not one of condemnation or smug superiority though. No, those lavender eyes held only disappointment and pity for the Crystal Prep principal, and that thought caused something inside Abacus Cinch to break, but she didn’t have much time to dwell on it, as she was drawn from her introspection by the malevolent voice of her magically charged star student.
“I hope you enjoy your time in Equestria. After all, you’ll probably have less than a minute to enjoy it before you hit the ground, that is, unless you can manage to sprout some wings,” the magically infused girl considered for a moment, “which I suppose in that world is a possibility.”
“Y-you can’t!” The principal’s eyes went wide behind her half-rim glasses. “Twilight, y-you wouldn’t.”
“You’re right,” the winged girl said, earning a sigh of relief from the panicking principal. “Twilight wouldn’t. Twilight was weak, the ever-apologizing doormat who took your ridicule and abuse. Twilight was powerless, and I am certainly anything but powerless now. No, Twilight Sparkle is gone...call me Midnight Sparkle." Locking eyes with the helpless woman, the being now called Midnight grinned. "Goodbye, Principal Cinch. You will never hurt anyone ever again.”
“Twilight...No!”