Hitting The Books

by CrypticMetaphor

Chapter 12- Bring It On

Gilda and Lightning Dust both sat in a pair of easy chairs as Umbra chatted with someone on the phone. Both girls were nervous to say the least, this guy scared them but at the same time if he can do magic then there has to be something big going on. Plus if what they were offered was indeed true then they would be in for a BIG pay off if they made this guy happy as well as his boss.

Umbra placed the phone, “Congratulations, you two are officially on the payroll.”

Gilda clapped her hands together, “Awesome! When do we start?”

Umbra folded his arms, “Immediately. I have something I need you two to do.”

*

Rainbow Dash gazed around the darkened street and inhaled the cool night air; fall was on the approach and with it would come various activities both fun and competitive. Earlier she had been dispatched to pick up assorted junk food and soda’s for a movie night with the gang and was on her way home when she had the sense she was being followed. She glanced behind but found nothing behind her. She breathed a sigh of relief and turned right into a jacketed torso. The food she was carrying dropped from her hands as she gazed into a set of familiar eyes.

Gilda grinned like a predator going in for the kill, “Heya Dash, long time no see.”

Dash backed up, “Gilda?”

Gilda crossed her arms as Dash narrowed her eyes, “What do you want?”

Lightning Dust spoke up behind the cyan girl, “Oh nothing much, just wanted to catch up on old times.”

Dash looked between the two smiling girls as she scratched the back of her head, “Ooookay this is officially gone into creepy town.”

Gilda stepped forward, “Oh we haven’t even started.”

Lightning Dust walked to her partner’s side, “Don’t worry Dash we just want to ask you a favor.”

Dash glared at the two, “Why should I do you two any favors, you two stabbed me in the back before you transferred.”

Gilda growled slightly, “Only because you completely snubbed us off like we didn’t exist!”

Dash sighed, “I realize that I put my ambitions before our friendship and I’m sorry.”

Lightning Dust laughed, “Here that G? She’s sorry.”

Gilda placed her hands on her chest and sarcastically said, “Oh be still my beating heart!”

Both of the girls shared a laugh much to Dash’s frustration, “Well I would love to stay and chat but I’m running late,” she made a move to push past Gilda but was stopped dead by her hand.

Dash pushed but felt that the arm didn’t even move, “What the?!”

Gilda grasped Dash’s shoulder, “Our boss wants you to deliver a message for him.”

Dash glared at the girl, “One, why should I do you any favors and two, who exactly are you talking about?”

Lightning Dust rubbed her chin, “I think he said her name was Twilight Sparkle.”

Dash was surprised as Gilda lifted her with ease of the ground with one hand, “Plus Dash, it’s not like you have a choice.”

Dash struggled in vain when a realization hit her, “Wait a minute. You weren’t this strong before!”

Gilda looked at the nails of her other hand, “Well working with the future co-ruler of the universe DOES have its benefits.”

Dash became frantic, “Gilda listen to me! Umbra can’t be trusted! He’s a liar and a monster!”

Lightning Dust raised her arms in a half shrug, “Yeah and we don’t care. The payment plan he set us up with is pretty good so unfortunately for you we have to do our jobs.”

Gilda smirked at that as she glared into Dash’s now frightened eyes, “Now about that message.”

*

Several minutes passed us by at Dash’s house and the rest of the gang were sitting in the living room doing idle things to pass the time. Fluttershy, Twilight, and Sunset were discussing the ethics the film they had chosen whereas Rarity and Pinkie Pie were going at their fortieth tic-tac-toe match. I and Applejack were just sitting and stewing in our collective anger at Umbra. The guy was a monster and he needed to be stopped, the only problem was how. I glanced at the clock and became slightly alarmed.

I approached Twilight, “Hey how far exactly is the corner store?”

Twilight thought for a second, “About a five minute walk, why?”

I pointed to the clock, “Dash has been gone for forty minutes.”

Fluttershy became visibly worried, “Oh my I hope she’s not hurt. We should go look for her.”

Applejack raised a hand, “Don’t worry bout it Fluttershy, Dash can handle herself.”

The front door immediately opened and we all turned in unison. Standing in the doorway covered in welts and bruises was Rainbow Dash. She was still clutching the food in her arms when she slumped in and collapsed on the couch. We all immediately rushed to her aid even though she kept insisting it was fine.

Rainbow raised her right hand, “Seriously it’s all good. I just took a tumble hehe-OW! It hurts to laugh.”

Fluttershy began to check her injuries as Applejack tightened her fists, “Who did this to ya?”

Rainbow Dash sighed, “Lightning Dust and Gilda. They both jumped me on the way back.”

Rarity became red in the face, “Oh those two fiends! I always knew they would never change!”

I looked at Rarity, “Uh, who exactly are they?”

Pinkie Pie even had a scowl, “They were a year ahead of us back when we started high school and besides us Dash was friends with them.”

Applejack straightened her hat, “Thicker than thieves.”

Rarity sat down in a chair, “That is until Dash started to rise through the ranks of the sports team they were on. Pretty soon she became captain and this didn't sit too well with the girls, who I might add helped her REACH the position, because she never gave them any recognition.”

I hissed, “Ouch.”

Rarity nodded, “Yes, they went to great lengths to ruin her and unfortunately they did. But let’s not dwell on that, long story short they were transferred to Cloudsdale Secondary later in the year. The last I heard is that Gilda is captain of all of THEIR sports teams as well.”

Twilight glanced down at Rainbow and from what I saw she was not impressed, “Umbra has gone too far. I think it’s time we gave him a piece of our minds.”

Rainbow Dash then turned her head, “Speaking of that. He says and I quote, ‘Game on’.”

*

Umbra was sitting in his office in the student counsel room an hour before school started going over some schedule designs for The Masquerade which was a four days off. He began to scribble down some revisions when his door was opened rather loudly.

Without looking up Umbra calmly stated, “Didn't your mother teach you to knock?”

Twilight slammed her hands on Umbra’s desk, “You are a despicable human being!”

Umbra looked up with a neutral expression, “Really now? Why is that?”

Twilight pointed to Rainbow Dash, “You injured my friend and threatened all of us as a whole! And we will not stand for intimidation!”

Umbra leaned back, “Actually if I remember correctly the reports were that Miss Dash here was assaulted by rival school students.”

Rarity pointed an accusing finger, “Who YOU sent!”

Umbra spread his arms with a smug smile, “Do you have any proof?”

*

I shook my head and crossed the room and pulled Umbra to my face by his shirt, “I don’t need proof for an excuse to kick your face in to wipe that smirk off your face!”

Umbra laughed, “I dare you to try."

My fist trembled only for AJ and Rainbow to pull me back.

Umbra wiped off his shirt, “If you came here only to place blame than please make friends with the door because you’re wasting my time.”

Twilight stared directly into Umbra’s eyes, “No, I came here to tell you if you think this is a game than I am more than willing to play. But rest assured Umbra you won’t win, people and ponies like you never do."

Umbra stood up and flicked her nose, “You see that’s the best part. We’ve been defeated once before and I’ve had enough time to calculate and plan my moves accordingly, so in short,” he leaned in close to Twilight, “Your out of your league little girl.”

Twilight clenched her teeth as I cut in, “Then how about you stop hiding behind your peons and be a man!”

Umbra glared at me, “I could destroy you all with a mere thought, the only reason I haven’t is because your juvenile resistance amuses me. Now would you kindly leave before I change my mind?”

Twilight motioned for us to leave only for her to point, “This isn’t over.”

Umbra spread his arms once more, “Take your best shot.”

*

Gilda and Lightning Dust were sitting across from Umbra as he pondered. The girls were bored to say the least; Umbra had been silent for a full hour as he pondered the night away without letting them in on the loop. Umbra then stood up and motioned them both to follow him through the red door.

Umbra did not meet the gaze but could feel their impatience, “Don’t worry you’ll get your chances soon, very soon in fact.”

Gilda rolled her eyes, “You only sent us out on that one errand.”

Lightning Dust nodded, “Come on let’s just take the stupid thing from them.”

Umbra turned and pointed, “NO! We can’t afford a public attack; we need to think of something a tad more…secluded.”

Lightning Dust grinned slyly, “What about inside their own home?”

Umbra glared at the girl who shrunk, “That’s completely unorthodox and reckless,” he grinned like a shark, “I like it!”

*

I was pacing with Twilight as we plotted our next move, “There has to be something we can do, think of something Twilight?”

Twilight shook her head, “Unfortunately no. Umbra has us at a major disadvantage, not only does he hold some semblance of power in the school but he possesses natural magic.”

Pinkie raised a finger, “Don’t forget Gilda and Lightning Dust.”

Rainbow nodded, “Yeah, we need to watch out for those two. There’s no telling what they might do if given the chance.”

A knock on the door caused Rarity to open it and gasp.

“Special delivery,” Both Gilda and Lightning Dust sneered at the occupants of the house.

Comments

[Lucky424]

I think that seven on two are favourable odds.