//------------------------------// // #3-Weclome to Nexus Part 2 // Story: Twilight Sparkle: Masked Matterhorn // by Royal Pony Dude //------------------------------// The cool thing about transferring to a school like Nexus High is that it's not only a great place to invent things but also a great place to reinvent things—namely myself. So instead of being called the school flake, I now get a second chance at being Twilight Sparkle. At the Canterlot Science Museum, Masked Matterhorn was thrown across the area by someone in a salamander suit. The problem, is I haven't made it to school because I had to stop this Salamander guy from stealing a gem from Science Museum. "So this is the Matterhorn I've been hearing so much about," Salamander fired his laser at her which she dodged then counter with a kick to the ribcage. "Give it time, I grow like a pimple," Matterhorn retorted. "Then you deserve to pop like one." Salamander whacked her with his tail sending her rolling on the ground. I did have the best intentions to arrive on time. It was only an hour when things took a dark turn. Monica and I were walking together as usual. I ask her how was her first day back at Crystal Prep. But she avoided my question and asked how my first day was. Aside from Starlight giving me the cold shoulder, I've met cool people, worked on experiments, and got my own lab. Then Monica asked me to grab some of her experiments in my lab. The school has to confiscate anything left behind and she prefers things to be private. So being the friend that I am, I said yes. Then my phone showed me an alert of a guy attacking the Canterlot Science Museum. Since I had twenty minutes, before school starts, I can probably stop this guy and get my costume washed. And that was the first mistake of the day. Salamander strike his tail at her but she avoided it. "Watch the tail, buddy, you break it, you buy it!" Matterhorn explained then the cable lines of the model plane snapped and started." "Or you break it and I get crushed by it!" Matterhorn used her magic and slowly carried it to the ground. "Musem members get 20% percent off life-saving acts of heroism." Then Salamander blindsided her with his tail whack. "Man, this guy is like a bull in a china shop, then time to rein the bull in." Matterhorn used her magic to stop him but Salamander tried to throw her off. "And this was the second mistake of the day," Matterhorn exclaimed while tightening her grip on his tail. "This tail has the strength of a wrecking ball." "And I know just the place where there a lot less to wreck. Matterhorn froze his feet in place and then grabbed the gem out of his hand. "I hear it's the tiny ones who are the most dangerous. Care to prove me wrong?" Salamander chased Matterhorn through the subway then Salamander body-checked her which made her lose the gem. "I'll take that," Salamander exclaimed then jumped into a nearby train. "So long, kid. I got a train to catch." "Hey nobody rides for free in this town." Matterhorn followed a kick from behind. "Don't worry, please exit the vessel in a calm, safe manner," Matterhorn said as the people got out of the train leaving her and Salamander alone. "Eww. What the hell is that smell?" Salamander asked. "I would say it's the subway but I think we both know I need to wash my costume," Matterhorn said. Salamander tried to hit with his fists but Matterhorn countered with attacks to his mid-section then she pulled a wire from her shackles that missed Salamander. "The thing about new heroes is they need to work on the aim." "I was going for the emergency brake." She forced the subway car to a complete halt and allowed Matterhorn to knock out Salamander just at the subway stopped at a station where the police showed up. "Here you go boys, one supervillain all froze up," Matterhorn said to them. "Thanks, kiddo," An officer said. "All in a day's work," Matterhorn said before jet boosted out there. … … At Nexus High… "I can't believe I'm late for my first meeting with my class advisor," Twilight said as she run into the school hallway. "Excuse me, I looking for David Crawford do where he is?" "I'm right here," Twilight turned and saw him. "And you, Ms. Sparkle, are five minutes late." "Sorry Dr. Crawford," Twilight apologized as they walked down the hallway. Nice impression. "This is your new lab." "That can't be right. This is Monica's." "Monica Simon is no longer at this school." "Yeah, but she'll be back. Isn't there another lab I can use?" "No. There are no other labs available at this moment. Now, rip that nameplate for me." "I feel weird about this. Do I need a lab?" "Oh trust me, Miss Sparkle you'll need one. Now, take that down and put this one up," He handed her a nameplate with her name on it. Twilight did as she was told and put her nameplate on the wall. "Once this place is cleared out, it's all yours." "How will it will take?" "That depends on how fast you can move." "I have to move everything." "All confiscated experiments go to the vault at the end of the hall," Crawford gave Twilight the key card. Much Later, Twilight moved all the stuff into the vault. "What is all this, Monica?" Twilight asked herself. "What in the world you were working on?" "Twilight," Randall walked in. "I was told I'd find you here. Come with me. I wanna show you something." … "Uh, has anyone seen Potion Nova or Moondancer?" Randall asked Starlight and Ocellus. "I want them to meet Twilight." "Know those two, they're collecting samples. But we can show the newbie around. Sandbar?" "Sure can," Sandbar chimed. "Welcome to the Think Tank, Twi. This is where we mix, mingle, and motivate." "What he means is, this where we show off the work we're doing," Ocellus clarified. "Like this security robot, I made!" Yo! Something isn't right! The robot said having the Ocellus' voice. "I got tired of the usual voice, so I replaced it with my own," Ocellus said as the bot held Twilight in the air. Your out of here buddy! "Shit, you must not be in the system yet." "Looks like I get to show off my scrambler," Starlight armed her device. "The Starlight Scrambler can cut the power to anything mechanical." Starlight fired a blast of the scrambler which made the security bot shut down and dropped Twilight. "Nice work, Starlight. Now regarding Ocellus's robot, how could this situation could have been avoided?" "Visual recognition?" "Automatic update?" "Uh, boxers before briefs?" Twilight asked then everyone laughed. "Is that the best idea you can come up with? Man, Moondancer will kill you alive," Starlight said. "Let's not be hard on Twilight. It's only her first week. I'm sure she has plenty of ideas he can contribute to the group. Don't you, Twilight?" "Of course, I have ideas. I have tons of them. Starting with the idea to keep my ideas safely in my backpack. BRB!" Twilight headed out of the Think Tank. In Twilight's lab… "Man, do I feel out of my league," Twilight sighed. "But you can do this. They want ideas, you'll give ideas." Twilight thought to herself for hours as now it was nighttime. "And I got nothing. Gotta relax. Something will come to me. Huh?" "Having a little trouble?' Randall asked. "I'm staying late to study the stars even though the sun is one." "Twilight, there's no need to worry. Lots of students stay late to work on their projects. An idea will come. Just start with something close to your heart. See you tomorrow." "Thanks, Randall. Close to my heart, huh?" "Then this might be the perfect time to upgrade my Mattterhorn costume." Twilight got to work on her costume as she was working her mom called. "Sorry, Mom. I just lost track of the hour. Time flies when you're having fun. I'll be home soon." Yo! Something isn't right! Twilight heard one of Ocellus' bots which made her go to the Think Tank and saw a giant robot destroying it. "Uh-oh! Did anyone leave a giant killer robot?" Twilight asked. "I don't suppose you have a student ID do you?" The robot pushed her out of the way and headed to the vault. "Hey! Nobody pushes me around! Except for the fact everyone does push me around. But there's one person you can't." … "Something tells me that's not a school-sanctioned project," Matterhorn said arriving on the scene. "So hand it over!" The robot picked a sphere-like device activated it and threw it right at her. "Oh shit! I think I know what it does now!" Matterhorn exclaimed as it exploded and the impact sent her back destroying most of her costume. "No wonder Velvet Metal wears an armor suit. This job hurts. I hope to test my new suit before using it but looks like I have no choice. And almost no pants." The robot fires an energy blast from its mouth which made Matterhorn dodge it. "Time to debut the new Matterhorn fashion line." Once Matterhorn left, the robot grabbed the box and proceeded to head out. "Hold right it there, you hunk of metal!" Matterhorn said now wearing a dark purple outfit with shoulder armor, dark purple spandex, shiny steel boots, metal finger-less gauntlets, and a mask that concealed her identity perfectly. "Let's see how you do against Matterhorn 2.0!" The robot fired an energy blast at her which she dodged. "Not a fan are you? Give it time, it will grow on you like a pimple. Wait I already use it." The robot threw a bomb at her but Matterhorn caught her magic and send it back which exploded on contact. "Time to workshop some new material," Matterhorn attacks the legs and froze them with an ice beam. "So maybe you could quit trying to disrupt my evening." Matterhorn used her magic and chuck the robot across the hallway, then shatter the ice and fire energy blast at her which she avoids as Ocellus came out of her lab. "Look out!" Matterhorn encased her in a magic bubble just as the robot's energy blast fired at it only not for it to pop. "Masked Matterhorn?" Ocellus was surprised just as the robot escape through a crashed window. "What's going on?" "I don't know exactly. But whatever that thing is, I let it get away." "You saved my life. If there was ever a choice between the two, I think you made the right one." "Thanks, I appreciate that." "Hey, do I know you? You sound kind of familiar?" "Uh, no. I gotta be somewhere bye!" Matterhorn tensed up and then headed out of the school. The next morning "Is everything okay, Twi? You seem a little down." "Nothing just spent last night reading." "I am still surprised, there's still a school to go to. Is it true you were there when it happened?" "Yeah." "And that thing started to rip the place apart, huh?" "Not really. It sort of went after your stuff," "My stuff?" "Yeah, the same stuff you asked me to get for you." "What that suppose to mean? You think I had something to do with it?" "No, of course not but I did manage to get this for you. Do you mind telling me what it is?" "I can't tell, Twi. Believe me, my dad would kill me if I told you what it really does, I gotta go, catch you later." Much Later at Crystal Prep… "Look who's back at Crystal Prep," Melvin grinned at Monica. "Guess you're not smart enough, after all, are you, Simon?" "Oh, I'm smart enough. Smart enough to know someone set me up, Rhodes," Monica retorted. "You're a fraud." "And you're clueless as your old man!" Before either of them could fight, Randall kept them separated. "Children, stop this at once!" "Uh, Randall? What are you guys doing here?" Monica asked seeing Silverstream Starlight, Sandbar, and Twilight. "Talking to people about your character, Monica." "You too, Twi?" "No, I'm just here…" Twilight tried to explain as the ground shook. Then the wall got blasted by the same robot that follow Monica. "Monica!" Twilight before heading to the bathroom to change into her alter-ego. "Let it be empty." Meanwhile, the robot grabbed Monica and headed out to the schoolyard. "Hey! Metal Head!" Matterhorn grabbed its attention. "First Nexus, now Crystal Prep? What are you, school shopping?" The robot fired a plasma beam at her but she dodges it. "Nice try, but if you think I'm gonna let take off with a student, you don't have a good grip on the situation." Matterhorn pried off the robot's hold on Monica with her magic that Monica to run away. "Or student for that matter." Then the robot grabbed her. "Is this because I'd call you metal-head?" Matterhorn asked as it prepare to fire. "Because if you look closer, you'll see I'm a nice guy." "Masked Matterhorn, hang on!" Starlight slid down a rail then fire a shot from her scrambler shut it down making it let go. "Nice shot, love that piece of tech." "Thanks. Do I know you? You sounded familiar," Starlight asked. "No tengo idea de lo que estás hablando," Matterhorn said 'I have no idea what you're talking about.' in Spanish. Then the robot held her in the air. "What the hell! I thought I took this robot down!" Starlight exclaimed as Matterhorn saved her. "Your tech can disable machines. This thing seems to be semi-organic. And all around mean!" Matterhorn exclaimed just as the robot grabbed her. "I have to stop this thing from crushing me. Wait a minute." She used her magic on Monica's school bag. "What the hell are you doing?! Help! This Matterhorn is trying to get me!" Monica screamed. "Not you. But clearly, this thing senses something about you," Matterhorn grabbed a bomb out of the bag. "So let's give it what it wants. She threw it right under the robot's legs and then went off causing it to explode. "Man! Too bad I didn't come in contact with an enhanced turtle," Matterhorn stretch her legs. "I could really use a hard outer shell about now." "This guy's a menace. You all saw it. She tried to pull into danger." "That wasn't true. I was…" "Every time you showed up, something bad happens." "Monica. She saved our lives. Twice," Starlight said. "Even, Ocellus," Silverstream added. "Both of you are being played. She's hiding something and I intend to prove it," Monica stormed off as Randall came. "I'm sorry she feels that way, Masked Matterhorn. Especially saving us from destruction seems to be a regular thing for you," Randall said. "Well, this time I think we all played a part." "Awesome," Sandbar said as they took a selfie. "We should get one with Twilight. Where is she?" Randall asked. "Shucks! I love to stick around you, but I got to be somewhere else," Matterhorn took off flying in her rockets boots. "Have a great day." "That guy has the oddest sounding voice," Randall said. "I know. He was even speaking in Spanish earlier," Starlight said. "Hey, guys. You okay?" Twilight asked. "Where the hell were you?" Sliverstream asked. "What do you mean, where was I? There was a giant robot attacking, so I hid in the bathroom." "Well, you missed getting a picture with Masked Matterhorn." "Yeah. I'm going to post it on the school website," Sandbar said. With William and Melivn… "You almost had him, Dad," Meviln said to his father. "Don't worry son. Black Hawk, and the Destroyers, are all part of his master plan," William said. As night approached, Twilight was watching her dog Spike playing in the yard. "Little white lies asides, this hasn't been such a bad first day on the job. In fact, I feel pretty good. Maybe that's the thing about second chances. They're not about doing differently, they're about seeing things differently." Twilight said. "Like an opportunity instead of a struggle. A hero instead of a celebrity. Or even friends were first seen as strangers. You were right, Uncle. Your talent was making sense of things. I don't know if being a superhero is my talent, but you wouldn't mind keeping an eye on me, I've got a sense we could do this together." Then Twilight heard police sirens which prompt her to put on her Matterhorn costume. "And might even have some fun."