//------------------------------// // VI // Story: Magic & Steel: An Odd School Love Story // by CrypticMetaphor //------------------------------// The next day, the boy known as Baen, The Red Haired Kid, or the Concert Guy, was the talk of school. Some of the students were utterly wary of this new boy do to…‘past incidents,’ but others were intrigued beyond belief at a third and possibly nice visitor from the place known as Twilight’s world. A certain group of girls had tried their hardest to track down the boy in question, but their search pretty much turned up nothing. Rainbow came out of the gym with a shake of her head. “Well the good news,” she gestured to the gym, “I found out where he’s been holing himself up for the past few weeks.” Rarity raised an eyebrow, “Where?” “The old equipment room,” she shrugged, “somehow he converted it into a mock bedroom.” Sunset looked around for a moment in thought, “Well we have two possibilities,” she raised one finger, “Either he got out of dodge and went back to Equestria or,” she raised a second finger, “he’s still around and he’s just hiding.” Fluttershy raised a finger, “Um, if he’s hiding…shouldn’t we…well….let him? I mean it’s not really our business to bother him if he doesn’t want to be.” The girls looked at the girl who shrank under their gaze. Applejack pinched the bridge of her nose. “Shy’s right ya’ll,” AJ said with a mild sigh, “ah mean even if he is still around, how in tarnation would we even find him? This school and the city are huge, plus I doubt he’d make it easy. When someone doesn’t want to be found,” she leaned against the wall, “they make sure they stay hidden.” Sunset leaned against the far wall, going over every possible hiding spot she herself had once used inside the school. Her brain wracked over every possible scenario but she couldn’t pinpoint the right place someone like Baen would pick for a good hiding spot. Shaking her head, she and the rest of the girls sat on the ground in defeat. “Applejack has a point,” Sunset hit her knee lightly, “if we could think like him we could….” “He’s right over there,” Pinkie pointed far down the hall as Baen walked out the far doors. The girls did a collective double take before running to the doors. * Baen sat outside in the grass of the soccer field, mentally punching himself and just thrashing around in the grass in anger. How could he have been so foolish!? He had been careful since he had arrived at the school. He took great care in avoiding unwanted attention and keeping low, but how could he have slipped up like that. It was carelessness, carelessness and once more, being foolish. It was those girls; they just had a way with him. “Damn them,” he slumped on his back and just stared up at the blue sky, “Though I suppose it wasn’t so bad,” he sighed in resignation for his mistake, “at least I had a little fun. Something to break the boredom,” he gave a half-hearted chuckle, “I have to admit, they sing quite well.” And so the barbarian lay there in silence, pondering his next move as a steady breeze carried its own song. Baen’s mind ceased its senseless ramble as he himself got lost in the day sky. A small smile appeared on his face as he continued to stare at the passing clouds. Despite the oddities of this world, it did have its moments indeed. He blinked a bit as he started to doze off….but then his eyes shot open when several shadows fell over him. Blinking a few times, he stared at the faces of six familiar girls. “Oh.” He slowly stood as the girl’s gaze seemed to stare into his very soul. Rainbow narrowed her eyes, “Alright start talking. What are you?” Baen looked at each one of them in turn, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Applejack shook her head, “So ya don’t remember that red magic of yours shorting out our stage?” “Faulty?” Baen stated nervously. Pinkie was immediately on him and took a firm hold of his jacket, “WE KNOW YOU’RE A MAGICAL NINJA! CONFESS!” Sunset yanked the pink girl off of him, “Pinkie! “ Rainbow tilted her head, “So what’s your game huh? Gonna infiltrate our school and wait until our guard is down before you strike? That is it isn’t it!” Sunset raised her hands, “Calm down! Before we jump to any conclusions, let’s just give him a chance to explain himself. Is that alright?” The girls nodded as Sunset turned to Baen, crossing her arms, “Well? We’re waiting.” Baen looked to each one of them in turn once more, “I…I…” Fluttershy smiled a tad warmly, “Just take your time.” Baen ran one of his hands through his hair, “This is ridiculous, what have you any reason to accuse me of anything? Have I done any of you wrong?” Rarity shook her head, “No you have not, but we’ve had….visitors such as yourself before and they have been less than friendly,” Sunset stared at her as Rarity smiled sheepishly, “Um….present company excluded.” Sunset shook her head with a smile, “Its fine.” Baen turned his back to them, “By Tieg this is ridiculous, I’m going…anywhere but here.” Sunset smiled lightly, “I think you mean by Celestia.” “Yes the term has been used many times by Twilight and I’ve told her…..,” he trailed off as he turned to look at a smug Sunset, “Blast.” Sunset pointed, “AHA! I knew it! You are from Equestria!” Baen pursed his lips then growled. But eventually, he slouched in defeat. Baen shook his head, “Damn it all.” Rainbow closed the distance and grabbed Baen by the jacket, “Now Baen, IF that is your real name. The seven of us are going to have a little chat!” Baen resigned himself to his fate as he was dragged off with the girls. * During the confrontation outside, another was taking place. The Dazzlings stood outside a door, the only thing separating them and who they were going to see. Adagio inhaled to steady her nerves, then opened the door. They stepped into the office, a round table was in the corner and at the far end near some shaded windows was a desk. Seated at it scribbling on some paperwork was a familiar face. “Excuse me,” Adagio stated slowly, “we’re here.” The person stopped her scribbling, “I can see that. To what do I owe this intrusion hm?” Adagio smiled as Aria shut the door, “I’ve brought you something I think you’ll want to see.” The girl placed her pen down and stared at Adagio who flinched lightly, “Oh is that so,” her eyes pierced the siren from behind the lenses of her glasses, “I hope it’s actually something worthwhile this time.” Aria crossed her arms, “Thanks for the vote of confidence, boss.” Hecate folded her hands on her desk, “Watch your tongue Blaze, lest I burn it out of your mouth.” The second siren clamped her mouth shut as Sonata tilted her head, “But I really think you’ll like it this time! It’s coverage of a concert!” Hecate inhaled sharply and stood up from behind her desk as Adagio cast a scathing look at the third siren, “Oh, another concert of the local favorites,” she started advancing on Adagio who started backing up, “As if you haven’t shown me enough of those already,” Hecate reached up and removed her glasses with her eyes closed in concentration as her patience began to run out, "I thought I made it clear…” Adagio desperately reached for her phone when she hit the back wall. Hecate’s hand was on her shoulder, and then she opened her eyes. A pair of unnatural gold eyes bore into Adagio’s own, freezing the girl in place. “And I believe I said, bring me something worthwhile or else you would be wasting my time and as you know,” her voice dropped into a hushed whisper, “I hate having my time wasted.” Adagio quickly pulled her phone out and held it up, “But this is different, please just look,” the siren was visibly trembling. Hecate looked at the screen and snatched the phone from Adagio’s grasp before turning her back. Hecate looked out of the corner of her eye, and noticed Sonata fiddling with some of the knick knacks on the book shelf. Rolling her eyes, she grabbed a rubix cube from her desk and tossed it to her. “Play with this,” she muttered, “simpleton.” Hecate watched the footage with mild annoyance and growing anger. Her fingernails drummed the table beside her rhythmically. As the footage reached the end, her patience slowly joining it, her eyes widened. Stopping the footage, she rewinded it and played it several times before whirling on her heel to face Adagio. “Who,” she placed her index nail on the boy depicted on the footage, “Is this?” Adagio shrugged, “I’m not sure, but we found out his name is Baen.” Hecate shook her head, “That’s all?” “Well we would have gotten more info on him,” Aria droned, “but the Raingoons got in our way…again.” Hecate looked at the screen then replayed the scene once more, “At the moment that’s no importance, what is of importance,” she showed the three girls the moment when the stage shorted out, “is what this is.” Adagio stared at the screen, “It’s some form of magic?” Hecate smiled with sinister glee, “Oh something much better than that,” she handed the phone to Adagio, “Here is what’s going to happen. You three will keep him under watch, I want to know exactly who this, Baen is. Confront him directly if need be. When the time is right, we shall acquire him.” Adagio gave a bit of a hopeful smile, “Then we can have our reward.” Hecate smiled and patted the siren on the head much to the latter’s mild annoyance, “Yes.” Aria nodded with a smirk, “Bout time Sonata held up the completed rubix cube, “YES! I DID IT!” Everyone just stared on in astonishment.