Babs found it a bit odd that she did not meet with Tangerine on her way to school today. She looked just fine the other day, so Babs ruled out illness, and Tangerine didn't seem the type to be late at school without good reason, so she assumed that Tangerine must've arrived early for some reason. Even then, Babs still thought that it was strange for her cousin to come to school early.
Finding Featherweight at his locker, she decided to ask him if he saw Tangerine around the school.
"Hey, Featherweight!" she called, getting his attention. "Have ya by any chance seen Tangerine anywhere? I didn't meet up with her today."
"Yeah, I did." Featherweight nodded. "Although she was acting a bit strange..."
Babs perked her ears up at this. "Strange? Whaddaya mean?"
"Well, when I called out to her, Tangerine didn't answer. She didn't even look at me. Just kept going as if I wasn't even there."
"Are ya sure you called her loud enough?"
"Yeah, I'm sure! Do you think something's going through Tangerine's mind lately?"
"Wid da way she's acting, I guess so." Babs said in concern, worried if Tangerine would break down about being hall monitor again. "We should ask her about it when we see her, find out wut's going on."
"Right." Featherweight agreed. "We'll talk to her during recess though. It's almost time for class."
While making their way to geography, they found a rather odd sight: it was Specs wearing some kind of red card around his neck, and he didn't seem too happy wearing it.
"Uh, Specs? Wut's wid dat thing around your neck?" Babs asked the glass-wearing colt.
"...I forgoth to bring my hall patth today..." Specs replied, fiddling with his card. "When Tangerine caugth me without ith, she made me wear this so thath everypony else knows whath I did wrong..."
"Whoa, wait a minute!" Featherweight exclaimed. "Tangerine did this to you!?"
Specs nodded, much to their shock.
"No way! Dere has to be some sorta mistake!" Babs denied the colt's claim. "Dere' no way dat Tangerine, my cuz, would do something like dat!"
"Thorry Babs, but my glatthes don't lie. I know what I thaw, and Tangerine made me wear this card."
Babs glared right into Specs, making him back away. "You take dat back right now!"
Featherweight pulled her back and away from the colt. "Babs, we'll worry about him later. Right now, we'd better get going to class, or we'll be late."
"Yeah, all right..."
Continuing on their way to class, Babs and Featherweight encountered another weird sight: this time, it was a trembling trash can. A foal was obviously hiding inside it.
Curious, Featherweight walked up to the trash can and lightly knocked on it. "Uh, hello?"
"ACK! Please don't book me, I've been good!"
Cutup sprung from the trash can with his forehooves up, as if he was surrendering. Opening one eye, he relaxed when he saw Babs and Featherweight staring at him I confusion. "Oh, it's just you guys."
"Do I even wanna know why you're hiding in the trash can?" Babs flatly spoke.
"Easy, hiding." Cutup went back inside the trash can, closing the lid. "Now get going, or you're going to give me away."
"Cutup, come on. Just get out there." Featherweight smacked the trash can. "You'll get in trouble, not to mention you'll start to smell if you stay in there."
After hearing a sigh of defeat from inside the trash can, Cutup opened the lid and jumped out. "Fine, I'll, go. I just hope I don't get caught."
"Wut are you talking about?" Babs asked him.
Cutup froze, realizing his slip-up. "Uh, nothing! Gotta go!" And with that, he sped away before either Babs or Featherweight could say anything.
"What was that all about?" Featherweight wondered after a moment of silence.
"Beats me." Babs shrugged. "C'mon. Let's get going."
The two friends chose to forget about what happened and move on to their class, having already encountered too many distractions on the way.
Meanwhile, Cutup was making his way to class, tip-hoofing away and peeking around corners, being cautious to not encounter the villain who has caught his friend.
Once the school bell began to ring though, he immediately began galloping, not wanting to be late. Turning a corner just where his class was, he skidded to a halt so he wouldn't bump into something on his way. When he took another look however, the 'thing' was actually a foal. And not the one he wanted to see.
He gulped as the foal glared at him. "Uh...hi?"
After geography was over for recess, Babs and Featherweight went to have fun at the swings, both foals swinging away on their seats.
"Hey Babs." Featherweight called.
"Yeah?" she answered, turning her head to face him.
"You didn't happen to see Tangerine in class by any chance, have you? I looked around, but I saw no sign of her."
"Nope, I couldn't find her either..."
"But we know that she's around here somewhere since Specs already told us that he met up with her. Did she actually skip class?" Featherweight thought aloud.
"Hall monitors are allowed to stay outta class time, as long as dey ask permission from a teacher and not skip out on too many classes." Babs explained. "Maybe Tangerine's getting a bit more confident in dis hall monitor business."
"I guess, but what about what Specs told us about her?" the feathered colt reminded her.
"Don't tell me ya actually believe him!" snapped the red-maned filly. "Tangerine wouldn't hurt a fly!"
"I never said that I believed him. I'm just saying that we shouldn't forget what he told us. Maybe it could help us somehow."
Babs kept quiet, not sure how to answer. Turning her head to look around, she saw something that made her groan in annoyance.
"What is it, Babs?" Featherweight asked his friend.
"It's Cutup, inside a trash can again." Babs replied.
"Boy, looks like Cutup really loves the trash can these days, huh?" Featherweight sighed. "Let's get him out of there."
Jumping off the swings, Babs and Featherweight went over to the colt inside the trash can and knocked on it.
"C'mon Cutup, get outta dere already." Babs told him. "You're starting to look like a grouch, wut wid you being in de trash can all day."
"I can't. I'm being forced to stay here." Cutup grumbled.
"What do you mean you're being forced to stay in the trash can? What's going on?" Featherweight asked.
"I was on my way to class right when the bell began to ring. Just before I could get to my classroom, Tangerine stopped me and punished me for throwing some junk on the ground, which was an accident by the way, running away from her, and being late for class. And now she's making me stay here."
Babs smacked the trash can hard, making the colt yelp in alarm. "Don't you dare say dat about Tangerine! She's de nicest filly I know, and she would never do something like dat!"
"Hey, you don't need to take my word for it. Just look for her in the hallways." Cutup said to her. "You'll see that I'm telling the truth."
"I don't need to see anything! I don't believe you!" Babs snarled before storming away.
"Hey Babs! Wait!" Featherweight shouted, flying after her.
Babs ran all the way to the water cooler and have a drink to try and calm her nerves. She couldn't stand what the two colts were saying about Tangerine. Why were they picking on her!? Her cousin would never do something so mean to anypony!
"Babs, are you going to be all right?" Featherweight asked in concern.
Having satisfied her thirst, Babs heaved a sigh out. "I'll be fine, Featherweight. Sorry I snapped earlier. It's just dat I can't stand it when ponies badmouth my cuz."
"Yeah, I know how you feel." nodded the cream-colored colt. "But why would Specs and Cutup say those things about Tangerine? They wouldn't do it without a good reason."
"I dunno...and honestly, I don't wanna know. Let's just git back to de playground and forget about all dis."
Featherweight complied and began following her back to the playground, both foals wanting to put behind what they've heard.
"Now what is this!?"
A sudden shout from behind them sounded throughout the hallway.
"Well, I admit that it's mine, but..."
"Silence! Let me finish!"
"Dat voice...it can't be..." Babs uttered in disbelief.
""We'd better see what's going on back there." Featherweight said, flying back to check out the commotion, Babs not far behind.
Upon turning around a corner, they saw Tangerine rummaging through a bag with a stern look on her face while Gloria stood scared on the side.
The green-maned filly then pulled out a small wrapper partially filled with gum. Tangerine inspected it before turning her attention to the nervous unicorn filly. "Gloria, this is gum inside your bag!"
"But I wasn't chewing it!" Gloria protested nervously.
"But you had it in your possession!" Tangerine then scribbled on her notepad, tore the page off and put it around Gloria's neck. "Now, you will have to wear this to show everypony your shame! Am I clear!?"
Gloria shivered from Tangerine's tone. "Y-Yes ma'm!"
"For your sake, I hope so! Now move along!"
Gloria quickly walked away from the hall monitor past Babs and Featherweight, who were shocked and horrified at what they have seen. Tangerine, the nicest filly they had ever met, just ruthlessly punished somepony in front of them. Babs ran up to her cousin and quickly nudged her to get her attention.
"Tangerine! Wut's gotten into you!? Why did you do dat to Gloria!?" she cried in shock.
"Gloria had broken a school rule, cousin Babs. It was only fit to punish her for not following my rules." Tangerine coolly replied.
"Wait, your rules?" Featherweight exclaimed in shock. "Tangerine, I don't think you can just make up rules for the school like that, it's not right!"
"I can if it benefits the school. And I intend to have every student follow my rules without fail, and I will keep punishing if I have to until they do."
Every word that Tangerine spoke was like a beating to their hearts, seeing their friend speak such cruel words.
"But Tangerine, dat's not wut a good hall monitor is supposed to do!" Babs tried to snap her out of it.
"She's right! Remember the times before all of this, everything was just fine!" Featherweight agreed.
"No, it was not!" Tangerine snapped, startling the two foals. "Even after my success of being a hall monitor, there were still students who did not take me seriously as a hall monitor. But now, they will think twice before ever crossing me again. This is for the greater good."
"But Tangerine-"
"But nothing! Do not think that just because you two are my cousin and friend that you are safe from my rules. This will be your only warning: break my rules, and you shall pay for it." Adjusting the sash around her chest, Tangerine walked down the hallway, her stern face ever present.
"Uh,wow..." Featherweight muttered. "Looks like Specs and Cutup were telling the truth all along. Now what do we do, Babs?" He was met with silence. "Babs?"
Looking at his friend, he saw her staring at the floor in shock. Babs recalled on all of the advice and tips she had told her cousin. It was because of them that Tangerine is acting like this. Because of her. She turned Tangerine into this. "Sweet Celestia...I created a monster..."
Tangerine walked down the hallway, keeping an eye out for any rulebreakers. Meanwhile, every colt and filly who heard her walking either ran or hid inside their lockers, the janitor's closet, the restrooms, anywhere safe from Tangerine, afraid that they unknowingly broke a rule she had made and would get in trouble for it.
All: These new rules are no fun
Here she comes, time to run run run
New Tangerine is never, ever done
This means trouble for everyone
Cutup and Specs were running as fast as their not-so-athletic legs could run, really late for school. Cutup, who was in the front, skidded to a halt, resulting in Specs bumping into him and both of them crashing to the floor. When Specs gave a questioning look to Cutup, the stubbier unicorn colt pointed to the entrance, where a very stern Tangerine stood watch, making them gulp.
Cutup: Let her catch you and you get detention
Specs: I've even heard she might give suspension!
Specs: New rules here, there and everywhere
Cutup: Be sure to be prepared for a scare
Cutup then motioned for his friend to go around to the back door, away from Tangerine. Cautiously making their way around, they felt relieved at evading the changed hall monitor. Upon reaching the back door, Specs slowly opened it...
Both: You'd better watch your back
For when you least expect it...
Only to their fright, it revealed Tangerine glaring at them, expecting for somepony to try and use the back door. She forcibly dragged them away to their punishment.
...she attacks!
Tangerine walked around inside a classroom nearly full of scared students, observing and glaring all of them. Tangerine's reign of terror grew worse and worse, since now she is giving detention to anyone who breaks her rules. She didn't show mercy to anyone, not even to her cousin and newest friend, much to their sadness.
All: These new rules are no fun
Here she comes, time to run run run
New Tangerine is never, ever done
This means trouble for everyone
Featherweight played by himself with a blue ball, accidentally hitting it too hard into a tree. He nervously looked around to see if Tangerine was nearby, since he knew that it was against the rules for pegasus foals to fly too high. After making sure that the coast was clear, he quickly flew up and tried to get the ball free from the branches.
Featherweight: One two three strikes, and you're outta here
Our friend is now the school's new puppeteer
While still struggling to free the ball, his eyes widened when he saw Tangerine walking towards his direction. He knew that she'd catch him if he flew back down, so he had no other choice but to hide inside the tree.
Tangerine walked up to the tree and began to inspect it in suspicion, making Featherweight nervous. After a few seconds, she began to walk away, making him think that he was in the clear...
Now ruling our school with an iron hoof
Better not act around her like a goof
...until the kicked the tree with her hindlegs, making him fall down first, followed by the ball which landed on his head. Looking up, he was met with Tangerine's steely gaze, making him chuckle sheepishly.
Her yellow sash is our sign of fear
Making us wish we could just disappear
Gloria quickly stuffed away all of her make-up kit into a bag, hoping to keep it hidden until she could return home ever since she had heard of another rule from Tangerine that no tools of make-up were allowed inside the school.
Gloria: She never used to be like this, not Tangerine
What happened to make her really mean?
She used to be so fair and just
She was a pony everypony could trust
Making her way to her locker to hide her make-up kit, she stopped when a firm voice called out to her. Gloria froze when she saw that it was Tangerine. When the hall monitor motioned to give her the bag for her to inspect, Gloria had no choice but to let Tangerine look at it. Tangerine warily rummaged through its contents.
With Tangerine, everything seemed so unified
But now we're all...
Shortly, she had found some lip gloss. Tangerine stared hard at Gloria, who gulped in fear.
...terrified!
The students couldn't even have fun anymore as Tangerine kept watch over the playground, looking for anyone who had even barely stepped out of line. Everyone stopped when Tangerine came around in fear of her busting them for whatever reason she could come up with.
All: These new rules are no fun
Here she comes, time to run run run
New Tangerine is never, ever done
This means trouble for everyone
Babs watched from a distance as Tangerine shouted at some scared fillies and colts, both saddened of her cousin now behaving like this and from the possibility that she was possibly responsible for what happened to Tangerine.
Babs: This is not what I had in mind
What caused my cuz to be so unkind?
What happened cousin, please I want to know
What caused you to stoop so low?
Was it me that caused you to change?
Is that why you're acting so strange?
She had thought back to the Apple Family Reunion where they had first met, the forming of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, all of their time they spent hunting for their Cutie Marks, all of the games they played, al of the good time she and Tangerine had. Babs didn't care about Tangerine being a hall monitor anymore, now she wants her cousin back.
Please come back, this is not the cousin I know
Please come back, just stop this dumb show
Please come back, please come through
Please come back...
When Tangerine did catch Babs unintentionally breaking a rule which was no cutting in line, although she was only trying to get through and not cut it, and sent her to detention for it, Babs felt like crying.
...I'm begging you...
All: These new rules are no fun
Here she comes, time to run run run
New Tangerine is never, ever done
This means trouble for everyone
The next few days always ended up with almost every student going to detention for whatever rule they had unknowingly broken. It had gotten worse as Tangerine kept making more rules, not even allowing foals to drink from the water cooler for more than three seconds.
Lunch was now quiet ever since the new rule of to not speak too loud was added, forcing the students to talk in whispers.
In one table, Babs was brooding over what happened to her cousin, Featherweight was reading a book, and Cutup and Specs were eating their meal silence, occasionally stopping to see if Tangerine was nearby.
Gloria joined a seat next to them, also wary not to make too much noise. "So, what are you guys doing?"
"Thrying not to break any rules..." Specs muttered.
"I hear that..." Cutup sighed. "It's just like what happens in comic books, remember?"
"Yeah...firth, the hero helps everypony and then for whatever reathon turns evil."
"Come to think of it, there are a lot of comics like that, arent't there?"
"I think there are...do you think that the writers enthoy thowing thuperheores turning bad?"
"Will you guys shut up about your superhero talk! It's not helping!" Babs hissed, not in the mood to listen to their banter.
"Babs, keep your voice down! Tangerine might hear that!" Gloria shushed the earth pony.
Babs stood quiet, not sure how to respond.
"Hey, Babs?" Featherweight spoke up. "I don't want to hit you while you're down, but I really think that you should read this." The pegasus colt showed Babs the book he was reading.
"Wut book is it?" Babs asked him.
"The other book Twilight let us borrow from the library. Confidence-Building 101."
"Oh yeah...I totally forgot about dis book. But why are ya giving it to me now?"
"Read this part of the page here." Featherweight pointed at the corner of the open book. "I think there's something there that you have to read."
Babs didn't entirely understand what Featherweight was getting at, but she nodded and read the book slowly.
'Remember, after you have gained enough confidence to face up against what you have previously doubted before, make sure that you do not overdo your actions. Too much confidence can be dangerous, causing you to be arrogant or possibly hurt your friends emotionally.'
Babs was speechless after reading that statement from the book. "I...I never read anything like dat in Iron Will's book..."
"Yeah...I guess that guy doesn't know everything, does he?" Featherweight grimly said.
"I guess not..." Babs admitted with a sigh. She had never realized that Iron Will's advice was so flawed. Was this the reason why she never had many friends when she followed his advice? Were they too scared of her? And now the same thing was happening to her cousin, Tangerine.
"Well we can't just sit here and do nothing. We gotta snap Tangerine outta this!" Gloria said in determination.
"Yeah! We'll be like the corrupted hero's friends who make him-uh, her see the light!" Cutup said in excitement.
"Yeah!" Specs agreed.
"Not exactly the way I'd put it, but I'm ready to snap Tangerine back to her senses!" Featherweight joined with the others. "You in Babs?"
Babs thought over everything that had happened. She knew that she was partly responsible for what happened to Tangerine, and moping about would not bring her back. It was time to take action. She will do anything to save her cousin. Babs looked up, her eyes burning with determination. "So, does anypony have any ideas in mind?" she asked.
"Well, you're her cousin right? Maybe you can talk some sense into her." Gloria suggested.
"Sorry, but the last time we tried that, Tangerine threatened to bust us if we were caught breaking any rules." Featherweight shook his head.
"Maybe you guyth didn't thry hard enough. Just thry talking to her again." Specs said.
"Yeah, sorry to butt in, but that' not gonna work anymore." Cutup interjected.
"How come?" Babs questioned him.
"Lately, Tangerine is seeing bad guys all around her inside her head, always thinking that somepony is out to get her."
As if to prove his point, they heard Tangerine shouting at a group of foals not too far from them.
"What is it that you fillies were talking about? Are you attempting a conspiracy!? Trying to oppose the hall monitor!?" Tangerine accused them.
"W-what!? No! We-We were just talking about Rainbow Dash's Sonic Rainboom from The Best Young Fliers competition from Cloudsdale!" one of the scared fillies protested.
Tangerine took a menacing step forward, making the filly wince in fear. "Do not lie to me! What were you conversing about!?"
"B-But it's the truth!"
"Okay, so we can cross that out..." Featherweight sighed, seeing that paranoia was also consuming his friend. "Any other suggestions?"
"How about we tell her mom what happened? She'll definitely fix things up!" Cutup piped in.
"No! We can't do dat!" Babs cried in panic.
"Why not? It lookth like the eathieth way to tholve our problemth." Specs asked, adjusting his glasses.
"I know, but...it's my fault dat Tangerine turned into wut she is right now. I was da one who kept telling her advice on how to be tough and all...I trained her de wrong way to do dis...I don't want for her to get in trouble for dat, not when it was my fault..."
"I understand Babs, but we have to do something! I don't want to last the whole month with Tangerine as the hall monitor like this!" Gloria exclaimed.
"Hey guys..." Featherweight called softly, fiddling with his camera. "I think I might have an idea..."
"Wut is it, Featherweight?" Babs asked him.
"I was thinking that maybe...if I took pictures of Tangerine attacking the students and then show them to her, it might snap her back to her senses."
"Hey, thath a great idea!" Specs smiled.
"I agree!" Gloria also approved of the idea. "Let's all get cameras so we can show Tangerine what she's doing wrong!"
"No, it'll be easier to track Tangerine down by myself, not to mention that developing the film from many cameras will take too much time." Featherweight explained. "I hate to say this, but I'll be working on my own."
"No fair! Then how are we supposed to help?" Cutup frowned.
"I'm sure that if something comes up, I'll let you guys know." With a sigh, Featherweight jumped off his seat with his trusty camera strapped around his neck before walking away. "Well, wish me luck."
The others remained quiet at Featherweight's departure, hoping that he would succeed. Especially Babs, feeling a bit guilty for dragging Featherweight into this mess.
'If he won't want to join the Crusaders by dis point, I can't really blame him...'
Tangerine was now shouting at a group of some very afraid colts at the school yard, a ball next to them.
"I believe I made myself clear the other day: no stepping on the grass!" she reprimanded them.
One of the colts, a black earth pony, had the courage to speak to her. "Uh yeah, we knew that, but..."
"But what?" Tangerine glared.
"You see, the ball that we were playing with here landed on the grass! And since you also put up the rule that didn't allow pegasus ponies to fly, we had no choice but to walk!"
"Are you saying that this is my fault!?"
"No no! That's not what I meant!" the colt trembled from her tone of voice. "We were just going to get the ball and leave, that's it!"
"I do not believe you!" Tangerine began scribbling on her notepad many times, forcing each page onto a colt. "Now all of you will wear these so everypony knows what you have done! And I will also take this ball away so that you may learn your lesson!"
Unnoticed by any of them from a distance, a white pegasus colt poked his head out of the bushes, frowning at what he had seen. Shaking his head, Featherweight brought up his camera, zoomed in and took a picture of Tangerine and the group of colts. It was a good shot, but he would be needing more to bring the old Tangerine back.
"Almost there, almost there...!"
A brown pegasus filly was running in the hallway with a small stack of papers tucked underneath her wing, in a hurry to wherever she was going.
"You, halt!!!"
Her eyes widened when she recognized the voice. Having no choice but to stop, the pegasus obeyed, hoping that this would be quick.
Tangerine walked up to her with sharp eyes, forcing her back a bit. "You were running down the hallway. You know that is against the rules."
"I'm so sorry miss hall monitor, but I'm in a big hurry! I need to turn this book report in soon before it's too late!"
"Then maybe you should have thought of walking! You would get to English class anyway!" Tangerine countered.
"But you don't understand! I-"
"Do not talk back to me!" Tangerine snapped, making the poor pegasus nearly cry. "You will be serving detention today for your misconduct of the rules! See me after class!"
While Tangerine kept yelling at the filly, Featherweight slowly and carefully peeked from around the corner of the hallway and took a quick picture of the two fillies before hiding to avoid being seen by Tangerine.
Sometimes, the only thing that would save a student from Tangerine was their hall pass. Whenever she demanded for somepony to show it to her, she usually just observes it intently before returning it to the student and dismissing them. Unfortunately, even hall passes could do so much to protect them.
While Tangerine was inspecting an orange unicorn colt's hall pass, she noticed something on the edge of the hall pass.
"What is this?" Tangerine showed him the hall pass with a deep glare.
"Uh, what is what? I don't get it." replied the confused and nervous colt.
"This!" Tangerine pointed at the corner of the hall pass, showing what looked like a scratch from something. "Your hall pass is damaged!"
"B-But you can barely even see it!" the colt stuttered from her gaze. "Can't you let it slide just this once?"
"No!" she shouted, making him flinch. "You will not be worming your way out of this! Detention!"
Hiding inside a locker, Featherweight snapped another photo that should help him get Tangerine back to her senses.
It did not take too long for Featherweight to get what he needed. Now he was sure that he had enough pictures to help Tangerine and his friends. Babs was happy to know that Featherweight made it back without getting caught by Tangerine, and at the possibility that this would be enough to make Tangerine see that what she is doing is wrong.
"So where can ya get dose photos developed?" asked a hopeful Babs, anxious to get her cousin back.
"It's at a place called Snap Cam." Featherweight answered. "Funny enough, that's where I also got my camera."
"Will it take long to develop de photos?"
"I don't know, but I'm pretty sure that we can get them today." Featherweight opened his locker and flew up to get his camera that was on the upper part of his locker.
"Hey, Featherweight." Babs called, adjusting her saddlebag.
He looked down, still in midair with his camera on his hooves. "Yeah?"
"Thanks for doing so much to help me and my cousin. I'm happy to have you as a friend." Babs smiled softly.
Featherweight returned the smile. "Yeah, I am too."
However, the touching moment was interrupted by a shout from across the hall.
"You, Featherweight!"
Whether by instinct or fear or some other reason, Featherweight clung onto Babs as they both looked with wide eyes at the stern Tangerine, who was glaring daggers at Featherweight.
"No flying is allowed inside the hallways, and you know it!" Tangerine called. "Now get over here!"
Featherweight however, had another plan in mind. He only had one shot at this. He can't screw up now.
"Babs, run." he whispered to friend before flying away.
"Where are you going!?" Tangerine shouted, less than pleased that a student had ran away from her. She snarled as she began to give chase. "Come back here right now!"
And the chase was on.
Featherweight gritted his teeth as he flew as fast as he could away from the filly chasing after him. Although he had the advantage of using his wings, they could only take him so far before he began to tire. Knowing this, Featherweight began to take as many turns in the hallways as he could, hoping to lose Tangerine's tail on him. However, her determination to catch him proved to be strong, showing no signs of slowing down and the turns barely delayed her, as if she knew the school by the back of her hoof.
Unfortunately, after a few minutes of flying, Featherweight's wings began to tire and he was forced to run on foot. He galloped down the hall, apologizing to anypony he had pushed aside, while Tangerine ordered for them to move aside. This gave Tangerine the upper hoof on the ground, not to mention that as an earth pony, she had little to no trouble running.
Featherweight skidded to a halt as he realized that he had hit a dead end. Now getting desperate, he quickly looked around, hoping to find someplace to hide from the hall monitor. Taking his chances, Featherweigh chose one place to hide himself, and hoped for the best.
As Tangerine caught up to him, she paused once seeing that he was out of sight. She knew that he was hiding somewhere, and she would not leave until she had found him. She opened the trash can and looked inside. Nothing but junk. Tangerine opened the door to the janitor's closet. No Featherweight there. She looked at the top of the lockers to see if he had flown up there. Still no sign of him.
Tangerine admitted that Featherweight was a good hider, but she swore to find him no matter what. Thinking about where the pegasus colt could be hiding, a thought crossed her mind when she eyed the classroom door.
'Maybe in there...' she mulled, opening the door.
Walking inside the classroom, Tangerine checked under the students' desks. No Featherweight under any of them. She opened the teacher's closet. He wasn't there either. Under the teacher's desk. Empty.
Tangerine sighed and walked in front of the teacher's desk as if she stopped to think about where else he could hide. Then, her acute ears had picked up a slight muffle, and she immediately knew where he was. She reared up her hindlegs and kicked the teacher's desk, opening the drawers accompanied with a yelp.
Turning back, she had found a groaning Featherweight who had been hiding inside one of the drawers, a possible feat for his small size.
"Do you have any idea how much trouble you are in?" Tangerine hissed, forcing him away to detention, to be with anypony else she had busted earlier.