Sandbar led Micro Chips to a beach house that was located on a hill near the coastline. A two-story building that was built firmly on the ground to withstand any natural disaster that’d come its way.
“Quite the structural integrity you have going, Sandbar,” Micro commented on the style of the home. “I’ll admit, I’m rather out of my element. Usually, Sunset and the others solve all of the problems we face so I’m a bit…excited--and concerned,” his tone dropped as he explained how he felt.
“Yeah, I feel ya,” Sandbar replied, “Whatever this is, it’s some kinda…corruption nonsense. But what I wanna know is: What’s the point?”
“It’s obvious that they seek to weaken us,” Micro added, “Cutting off our only line of defense by reducing the girls to emotionally vacant, lovestruck zombies. As a result, Sunset and the others can’t use magic to ward off…whatever it is we’re dealing with. I wonder what it could be…”
Sandbar skipped ahead and started walking backwards. “Who knows, yo? Obviously, my sister knows somethin’ that we don’t. And I need you to translate whatever jargon she spews….please.”
“Pfft, not a problem,” Micro replied with a chuckle as he adjusted his glasses, “I’m certain I can understand her, given that she’s a middle-schooler.”
“Yeah that’s what I thought too--turns out she’s advanced.”
“How advanced, exactly?”
About five minutes later, once they were inside the house…
“There you are, big brother!” a voice called out over a surveillance camera that popped out of a nearby flower pot. “Come up to my room when you can. I’ve got something to show you.”
“Well now, that is impressive,” Micro commented with a grin on his face, “I’d like to see how this stuff works.”
“Be my guest, bro,” Sandbar said with a shrug, “Like I said, I ain’t got no clue how this stuff works.”
Moments later, a yellow-skinned woman with a head of messy pink hair rounded the corner of the stairwell in the middle of the hallway. She wore a casual white sundress and a pair of sandals--essentially able to hit the beach whenever she wanted. “Oh, Sandbar--how was school, dear? And you brought a friend? How sweeeeet,” she spoke in a tone reminiscent of someone who had their head in the clouds. That, along with her half-lidded eyes, pretty much gave it away.
“Sorry mom, but we’re on business right now. Coral wants me to see something she’s got going on upstairs. C’mon, Mikey.”
Micro Chips would address her before leaving. “Thank you for inviting me into your home, Mrs…Bar?”
The woman giggled and shook her head. “Oh nooooo. No need for that, dear. Just call me High Tide. That’s what everyone else calls me. Especially my husband when we--”
“Ma! Please!” Sandbar shouted, and beckoned Micro Chips to follow. “C’mon, bud.”
Micro had to hold back the desire to laugh as he climbed the stairs. “...Well…your mother is quite the character, isn’t she?”
“She’s usually snackin’ on these brownies we get from Tree Hugger. S’posedt’a help calm the mind or whatever. They’re pretty good, but I wouldn’t recommend ‘em unless you got the stomach for it.”
“Excuse me--stomach?”
“Yeah if ya eat too many of ‘em, ya start feelin’ hungry afterwards and it’s just not fun--I learned that the hard way, yo,” Sandbar explained with a chuckle as he thought about the past. “...Yeah. Those were the days.”
“...I’m not going to question it further,” Micro thought to himself, choosing not to dig any deeper into the subject.
The boys went upstairs and took a hard left--this was where Coral’s room was located. Sandbar knocked, and moments later, the door was opened by an automated device that twisted, and pulled the knob for her.
“Come on in, guys,” she called out to them from her computer desk against the wall, complete with multiple monitors as she typed on various keyboards.
“...Well now…” Micro gave an impressed gasp of approval, “A budding technological genius in the making. I’m sure Twilight would be interested in what you’ve got going here.”
“Nah,” Coral replied, “I’m more of a computer nerd--Twilight’s a biological nerd. Anyway, I think I know what’s going on. Come look at this, big brother--you too, Mic,” she beckoned them both over while pointing at one of her monitors.
They approached and took a look at one of the computer screens…
The display would begin to show a familiar-looking tan-skinned woman approach the high school and change into Principal Celestia, followed by her entering the building. Later on, she’d take the form of Princess Twilight Sparkle from the pony world in order to subdue Flash Sentry.
“I’ve found our culprit,” Coral explained as she tapped the keyboard of her right monitor. That screen would show the entire criminal database for the state! “But there’s no information on her at all. I cross-referenced her face with the faces of criminals and politicians all throughout the state and nothing came up. Which means we’re dealing with a threat from another dimension. Right?”
“Exactly,” Micro replied, “Seems that she’s capable of magic. This likely means that she was the one behind the reason why the girls at school are going crazy.”
“...So what’s this all mean?” Sandbar asked moments later while scratching his head.
“It means that we need to fight back, Sandbar,” Coral lectured him as she spun around in her swivel chair, and cris-crossed her legs. “But there’s a problem: How are we gonna convince everyone’s parents that nothing is wrong with their students being suspiciously unable to return home? If anyone’s moms approach the school, they’ll fall under its effects too…”
Micro snapped his fingers. “I got it. Leave this to me.”